The Land Grant
by Eire Rose
Summary: What happens to the Barkley family when they make a deal to secure a parcel of land, costing more than ever imagined? Will they be able to live with the decision and its consequences, especially for the person who signed the papers? Rated M for language and mature subject matter.
1. Chapter 1

This is a plot bunny that I've had in my head, for years, since I first watched 'The Big Valley'. I have lurked on this site for a while, but never posted anything before. I am trying to branch out of my comfort zone, and this is part of doing it. I want the story to honor California, as well as the early Russian settlers. 'The Big Valley' was the first fan fiction I ever wrote, years ago in long hand, loving the family and their way of life.

I do not own the characters, or anything else; this is a work of fiction.

_**Author's Note: I have changed the date of the sale of Alaska, to the United States from Russia, for the sake of the storyline. The sale actually took place in 1867, but in this story it happens in 1877, to fit the 'supposed' time line of the TV show, as well as my story.**_

_**Thank you for reading and reviewing.**_

_**The Scheme of Things**_

_San Francisco_

Prince Sergey Mikhaylovich Naryshkina, Governor-General of Russian Alaska had arrived at the Russian Consulate in San Francisco four days ago. The official reason was to discuss trade and fishing issues with the Americans about the upcoming sale of the province. Prince Sergey, in fact could have cared less about the hunting and fishing rights. Russia was getting American gold, and he was the one who was going to deliver it.

The Prince knew that Russia was rotting from the inside out, and this sale was further proof of what he'd already seen over the last five years. The mess in Afghanistan, coming after the debacle of the Crimean War was only bleeding more young lives. The loss of his son Michael angered him because in the end, he had died for no reason.

He had been born the second son, but after the death of his older brother Alexander, the responsibilities for the house and family were on his shoulders. His father was in St. Petersburg, but old and senile, a vegetable of a man. Sergey had already taken care of his daughter Sophie, by marrying her off to a member of the German diplomatic corps. She would be safe and away from the disease that was Russia.

His niece, Ekaterina was another matter, and she was the real reason he was in San Francisco. His brother Alexander had married an Englishwoman, much to their father's horror. Alexander had died in the Crimean war, while his wife had succumbed to a cholera outbreak two years later. Since then he and his wife had raised Ekaterina like their own daughter.

Sergey had been sure that she was safe with her grandparents in British India, so when she turned up in New Archangel last month, his heart had sunk. It sunk even further when St. Petersburg found out that she was on Russian soil, and thus under command of the Tsar. The Prince knew he barely had six weeks to get her off Russian soil, but he had a plan. His ace in the hole was an old piece of Spanish paper that his uncle had acquired during his exile.

Sitting in the office the consulate had set aside for his use; he was drinking coffee and waiting for his agent Dmitri Gorsky to arrive. Dmitri officially worked for the 'Third Section' of the Russian Intelligence service. It was the branch that spied on all classes of citizens in Russia, in order to make sure everyone was loyal to the Tsar. Prince Sergey, knowing how the game worked, had befriended Dmitri, and then taken care of his family. Dmitri saw which way the wind blew, and was happy to undertake special assignments for General Prince Naryshkina. Sergey looked at it from the point of view that if a man was good enough to work for the Third Section, he was very good at what he did.

"Your Highness, I hope you are doing well." Dmitri Gorsky addressed the uniformed man behind the desk, after he'd been shown into the room by an overdressed sentry. Dmitri was slight of built, with brown hair, brown eyes, and brown clothes. He took pride in being to blend into any place, not being noticed as he went about his business.

"Dmitri, I am doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances. What do you have for me?" The Prince was a tall imposing man, with blue eyes, graying hair, and an upright military carriage. It showed off the elaborate uniform of one of the top St. Petersburg's guard's regiments. He had not achieved what he had by shirking his duty, no matter how unpleasant.

"There are two principals interested in the parcel, and both want it badly. The parcel in question is vital to either project being undertaken." Dmitri spoke in a calculated tone, wanting His Highness to understand what was at stake.

"Damn it all Dmitri, I know exactly the value of the parcel. I know in great detail what each principal wants to achieve. Quite frankly I could have gone to several gentlemen's clubs and been told what you just old me! Please get on with telling me the information I wanted!" Sergey didn't have a lot of patience, seeing the deadline in his mind.

"Well, I guess it was too bad that Duchess Harriett decided to get on her high horse about Princess Ekaterina, right? Dmitri threw the comment out there, knowing how his boss would react. In his mind, one must find one's entertainment where one could. He also had a relationship of long standing with the prince, knowing in the English vernacular, _'_where the bodies were buried' so to speak.

"That fucking bitch and her horse face of a daughter! Everyone knows that the only reason Sutherland was appointed Viceroy of India was because Her Majesty Queen Victoria stated that England wasn't big enough for her and the Duchess." Sergey ground his teeth as the thought about how his niece had ended up back on Russian soil was because of 'that woman'.

"My recommendation is Barkley-Pacific be awarded the project." Dmitri saw that he had pushed the prince too far about the issue. At the back of his mind he decided that Duchess Harriett must be a bitch of epic proportions, based on everything he had heard. If a woman could get the Governor-General of Alaska, as well as the mighty English Queen to hate them, they must be a formidable opponent.

"I will accept your recommendation, but can you tell me why you picked them over Sierra-Pacific? The principal of Sierra-Pacific is married to the daughter of the main stock holder of Wells-Fargo." Sergey wanted Dmitri to know that he had firsthand knowledge of all the players of the game.

"Edward Crocker is married, with young children; his partners are all old men, with well established marriages. You need at least one unmarried man, and Barkley Pacific has three unmarried men, all being principals in the company!" Dmitri delivered his information with a flourish, and Sergey looked very pleased. There was a reason he paid Dmitri twice what the Third Section paid him, because he always delivered the goods. He smiled at the agent, and asked him to detail his findings.

"The Barkley family has three sons, all unmarried; the oldest one is a widower." Dmitri went through details about each of the men, and the Prince nodded his head, liking what he heard. "My understanding is that the oldest one, Jarrod, will be the one you will deal with." The agent finished up his report and waited for the Prince's reply.

"Fine, but any of them will do! They are not Russian Orthodox, correct?" Sergey needed to confirm this important point, because it could mess up his plan. Dmitri reassured him that they were Episcopalians, which was the American version of the English Anglican church.

"I leave tomorrow, and the next boat to New Archangel leaves next week. Please see to it that one of those Barkley's is on it, is that clear?" Prince Sergey told his agent, who nodded his head. They discussed some of the details, and then the agent left. After he was gone the Prince sighed heavily, and said a prayer, hoping it would all work out.

_Stockton_

Jarrod Barkley had arrived by train, from San Francisco, and was now heading out to his family's ranch. He had good news about the waterway project, but wished the deal had gone differently. The project would improve the flow of the river; provide valuable commerce to the valley, as well as additional watering holes for the cattle of the large ranch. Jarrod hoped that Nick remembered that fact when he heard about the condition of the deal.

He found himself worrying as he thought about Nick and his reaction. His brother had always been hot headed, impulsive, and not the most patient person to begin with. That was balanced by his love, loyalty, and integrity that he gave the people in his world. You always knew where you stood with Nick, and if you crossed him, well, the term 'hell hath no fury' didn't come close to describing the result.

Last summer Nick had been briefly engaged to Hester, and the relationship had ended badly. Nick, being Nick, and thrown himself into his work, and since July and August were the busy times on the ranch it was easy to do. Jarrod though, had started to notice around Christmas, that his brother sometimes had an air of sadness about him.

Jarrod had thought about talking to Heath, or even his mother, but then did not pursue it. He studied Nick for several days, since which he was home for the holidays was easy to do. He couldn't put his finger on what was bothering his brother, which was worrisome in itself. Jarrod expected that kind of thing from Heath, who kept a great deal bottled up inside him. He had once said that he would not want Heath in a jury pool, because he would never what the man was thinking. Jarrod understood why Heath was that way, taking his upbringing into account.

He put thoughts of Heath aside, and went back wondering about Nick. It was March now, and Nick's mood had improved a little bit, but he wasn't his old self. There was the disturbing problem that his temper, when he lost it, was even worse than it had been before. Jarrod knew that he was not the only who had noticed it, but no one wanted to talk to the great Nick Barkley about his 'emotions'. Shaking his head now, Jarrod thought that maybe a trip was just what Nick needed. If nothing else it would make the house peaceful for a couple of weeks.

Jarrod waited until after dinner, when they were all gathered in the wood paneled library to bring up the real reason he was at the ranch. He looked over at his beautiful silver haired mother, and pretty blond sister, sitting together on the couch and smiled. Nick was smoking a cigar, while playing chess with Heath. Jarrod had noticed over dinner that Nick's mood had been pretty good, so he hoped things would go well.

"I have good news to share with you." Jarrod announced to the room, taking a draw on his cigar as he did so. He preferred his blend of tobacco to what his brother smoked, liking how the Cuban leaf added sharpness to the Turkish leaf. Nick preferred Virginia tobacco, interlaced with the Turkish leaf.

"I knew there had to be another reason you came to the ranch in the middle of the week." Victoria exclaimed pleased that she had been right in what she was thinking. Everyone turned to look at Jarrod, waiting for his news.

"I heard from Prince Naryshkina's agent, about the land grant. His Highness has agreed to accept our offer for the property." Jarrod announced with a flourish, and everyone clapped. He looked around the room, and knew that the time had come to deliver the condition the prince insisted on.

"There is a complication though; one of us needs to go to New Archangel, in Alaska, to pick it up in person. The boat leaves next week, and if we don't make that one there is not another boat for a month. Since His Highness will be leaving Alaska after the sale, he wants to wrap this business up quickly." Jarrod didn't come out and say that the prince was being high handed, but in his opinion that was what this was.

"Good god Jarrod! If you think we are going to jump because some asshole of a noble says so you have another thing coming!" Nick exploded loudly, to no one's surprise. His reactions were always swift and to the point.

"Nicholas, I have talked to you about your language before! This is not the barn!" Victoria turned to face her middle son, as her eyes blazed with anger. Jarrod stifled a chuckle as Nick apologized to the great lady; Nick might cross everyone else, but not his mother.

"Jarrod, can you explain why a Spanish land grant is owned by a Russian nobleman?" Audra asked, both out of curiosity, as well as to pour oil on troubled waters.

"Prince Naryshkina's uncle, or great-uncle, I don't remember which, was exiled to California at the beginning of the century. He was in fact a doctor and saved the life of the son of the Spanish viceroy, and was given the Land Grant in return. The uncle never married, so when he died it passed to his family." Jarrod told his sister, remembering how shocked they had been when they'd found out that the piece of land they needed for the waterway project belonged to a Russian. It had been a relief to find out that the Russian was Governor-General for Alaska, in residence at New Archangel, and very willing to sell the land.

"Nick, keep in mind what this project means for the cattle on the ranch. A trip to New Archangel is a small price to pay for getting the land." Jarrod put it out there, hoping his brother would hear the logic in his statement. He watched as Nick took a large swallow of his brandy, as he thought about what Jarrod had said.

"If you put it that way! Have fun!" Nick told him humorlessly, as he took a drag on his cigar. Jarrod looked at his brother and sighed, not liking what he had to do next.

"That is the problem, Nick. Starting next week I am tied up on the Peterson trial in San Francisco and can't get away. I was hoping that you would make the trip for me." Jarrod put it out there, and didn't even have to count to three to get a reaction from Nick.

"No fucking way am I getting on a boat because some noble says so!" Nick ranted, as he went on in that vein for several minutes. Nick wasn't quiet most of the time, and Nick in a tirade was loud enough to wake the dead.

"ENOUGH!" Victoria's voice shook the library, and Nick stopped in his tracks. Heath and Audra exchanged looks, and wished they were somewhere else.

"I have already warned you about your language Nick." Victoria glared at him, before she turned to Jarrod "While I don't care for Nick's language, he is right about us being at the beck and call of this Russian prince. I spent some time in St. Petersburg, on my last trip to Europe. They are a cruel, unfeeling people. I saw aristocrats treat their servants like I would not treat an animal. Isn't there another way?"

"Mother, I understand your feelings but no, there is not another way. I also don't think it is fair of you to make a judgment call like that." Jarrod knew that his mother had been very upset at what she'd seen in Russia. It violated her sense of morality, and she did not like to see injustice. However, in this case they had to work with a member of the group that Victoria hated.

"Jarrod, if Nick doesn't want to go I will be glad to do the trip. I never made it up to that part of the country, but always wanted to see it." Heath offered, and Jarrod smiled at him. He continued on "I'm willing to bet I will not even see this prince, but will deal with his agent."

"Better you than me, Heath! Don't let prince tyrant boss you around either." Nick snorted, as he poured himself some more brandy.

"Mother, are the Russians really that bad? They freed their slaves around the same time as America?" Audra questioned her mother, not understanding why the woman had such a dislike for someone she had not met.

"The aristocrats are only ten percent of the population, but they control ninety percent of the country. Yes, they did free the serfs, as they were called, but it was a false autonomy and most of the serfs are worse off than before. In Russia you can be imprisoned on a whim, and there is no freedom for anyone. The Tsar, which is what their king is called, is sole ruler and authority in the country. Even the great nobles are at his beck and call." Victoria explained to her daughter, and went on to talk about some of the injustices she had seen while there.

"I somehow doubt that New Archangel will be like that, but if so the people will be thrilled with the upcoming sale to America." Heath announced, and they spent the rest of the evening talking about the waterway project. Nick excused himself first, as he always did, because he rose the earliest in the morning.

After getting ready for bed, Nick read a chapter from the book he was reading 'The Mysterious Island' by Jules Vern. He enjoyed adventure books that involved travel, which would have surprised a lot of people. Under other circumstances he would have enjoyed the trip to Alaska, but didn't want to be ordered around. As he closed his eyes he hoped that the visions in the book would show up in his dreams, and not his ex-fiancée, Hester.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note: I could not find the exact time it took to sail by boat, in 1876, so I have guessed at the length of the trip. The Bishop's house still exists in Sitka (New Archangel), but the description of the Governor-General's house is my own design.**_

_**North to Alaska**_

Nick Barkley arrived at New Archangel in a much better mood than when he'd left San Francisco two weeks earlier. The plan for Heath to do the trip had come undone when he'd fallen from his horse and broken his leg. Nick, for all of his loudness and bluster, understood what the waterway project meant to the ranch. He didn't let on, but he was also rather curious to see Alaska, having done some reading about it.

He loved his land with a passion that he felt no one really understood, and was always happiest there. However, he had a restless mind, and in spite of his inherent conservativeness Nick liked to see new places and things. He also reasoned that he'd not had a vacation since his relationship ended with Hester, so maybe a change of scenery would be helpful.

The ship was an English ship, and most of the passengers were British army officers being transferred from Australia and India to the Dominion of Canada. They were second and third sons of noble families who liked cards, drinking, and horses. Nick found lots of companionship among them, and even won some money at the gaming table. He had been impressed with the accommodation that the prince had arranged for him, the best stateroom on the ship.

When he arrived at New Archangel he was greeted by one of the Governor-General's ADC's and his wife, then driven to the official residence. Nick was impressed with the way the town was laid out, the gold domes of the Orthodox Cathedral holding prominence on the skyline. The ADC pointed out the yellow and cream house of the Bishop, and Nick noticed that it was almost as ornate as the palace that the Governor-General lived in.

Nick thought the word palace was a bit much, but decided that if you were a prince your house had to be palace. The pale blue stucco building, with cream colored pilasters and scrollwork was certainly the biggest and fanciest house in town. The general style reminded him of some of the pictures he'd seen of St. Petersburg. The streets around the palace were in better shape than the rest of town, and he saw that there were a number of very nice houses in the vicinity. Nick wondered where the Indians lived, as well as the ordinary people, as he thought about what his mother had said.

He was shown to his room, and told when dinner was, as well as the dress required. Nick was glad that he'd thought to bring his evening clothes, and saw that he would be using them. The plan was to sign the papers, and get the land grant. The boat sailed in five days, and Nick needed to be on it, or he would be stuck for another month.

That evening Nick, dressed in his evening clothes, presented himself in the grand salon as instructed. He walked into the open room, decorated with red velvet and brocade, gold fixtures, and crystal chandeliers. Two very large portraits, one of the Tsar, and the other one of his wife, took up the far wall. There were over twenty people already there, making a large group. The ADC who had met him at the dock greeted him as he came into the room, and said that he would present him to His Highness. The man, whose name was Pavel, explained what the protocol was for the introduction. Nick swallowed his thoughts on bowing to the prince, remembering how badly they needed that land grant.

"Mr. Nicholas Barkley, it is a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for making the trip up here; I am so busy with the transition that it would have been impossible to get away." Prince Sergey told him, after they had done the formal introductions. Nick noticed the man's military carriage, as well as his decorations and orders on the elaborate uniform. This was a man who was used to being in charge, Nick decided, and looking at his blue eyes probably a hard man also.

"I would like to present my niece the Princess Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Naryshkina. My wife has already left for Russia, but my niece has agreed to act as hostess for the evening." The prince smiled at Nick, as he introduced the young woman next to him. Nick turned to look at her and lost his train of thought.

Princess Ekaterina was tall, slender, and well built. She had blonde hair that reminded him of caramel syrup, and the darkest blue eyes he'd ever seen. Her face was oval, with creamy skin, pink lips, and large eyes under expressive eyebrows. Looking closer he saw a few tiny freckles across her nose that made him smile for some reason.

She was dressed in a pink silk and lace dress, which showed off her figure perfectly. The princess was wearing a pearl choker around her long neck, as well as large pearl drop earrings that framed her face and upswept hair. As she turned he saw that there were more pearls woven into the soft, shining hair. Nick found himself wondering what it would be like to take down her hair, and feel the dark blonde strands.

"Mr. Barkley it is a pleasure to welcome you to Russian Alaska. I hope your visit is enjoyable." Princess Ekaterina spoke perfect English he noticed, with a slight lilting accent. Deciding that he needed to stop staring at her like an open mouthed school boy, he gathered his thoughts. It would have been easier if her dress had not been so low cut.

"Your Highness, thank you for your welcome. I am looking forward to my visit here." Nick bowed formally, and took her gloved hand to kiss it. He had very good manners, and did not mind bowing to a woman this beautiful. He had noticed that her last name was the same as the prince's, but couldn't tell if the woman was married or not. The princess looked rather young, but he knew that it didn't mean she couldn't be married. Nick did not want to muck up the deal by flirting with another man's wife, especially a relative of the prince's.

Nick was pleased to find out that he was sitting next to the pretty princess for dinner, but didn't get the chance to talk to her until halfway through the long meal. He had been lightly listening to the conversation she was having with the gentleman on her right, in a language that he figured out was German. Nick didn't understand the conversation, but thought that the woman's voice made even the guttural language sound nice. He was glad when it was time to switch partners to talk to.

"Your Highness, I could not help over hearing some of your conversation, and I am impressed with your fluency. Not only in German, but also in English." Nick told her, and saw a dimple appear when she smiled. She was entrancing, he decided, and hoped that he would get to spend more time with her during his visit.

"Please call me Katarina, and can I call you Nicholas?" She asked, and he liked how she pronounced his name in the Russian way. He agreed happily, thinking that Heath was going to be sorry that he'd broken his leg and missed out at meeting this woman.

"Thank you for your compliment, Nicholas. All Russian girls are well educated and fluent in various languages; I myself know five. However, English is the easiest because my mother was from England. I was just recently in British India visiting my grandparents." Katarina told him, trying not to think about how handsome the American was. His dark hair offset his fair skin and green eyes, and he was very well built.

"Well then I am glad that I am visiting at the same time that you are." Nick informed her, and they chatted quite happily. She was very well traveled, and an avid reader, so they had a lot to talk about. Nick was sorry when the meal ended, and the ladies excused themselves. As much as he liked a cigar and port, he would have forgone them to spend more time with the pretty princess, as he dubbed her in his mind.

That night, getting ready for bed he realized that he had not thought about Hester once, something that had not happened in a long time. Nick decided he must finally be getting over her, which would be a relief. He did not want her back, and would never forgive her for making a fool of him in front of his family. But she had been fun, and filled with laughter, while enjoying his company. Hester had left an emptiness in him that he had not been aware of before, and the knowledge had made him sad.

By the third day Nick was getting annoyed, in spite of the pretty princess, or maybe she was part of his annoyance. He had not been able to talk to Prince Sergey about signing the papers, nor had he really been able to spend any more time with Katarina. The days had been filled with various social engagements, or government functions. As a guest of the prince he was included in all these activities, and he did manage to make a couple of valuable contacts among the people he met.

Nick explored the town one afternoon, and had been appalled at how the Indians lived, hovel being too nice of a word. The workers' houses were not much better, and he decided that the Russian overseers had only taken from the province, not caring about the land or the people who lived there. It made it hard for him to reconcile the ugliness with the beauty of the princess, but he was sure that her uncle kept her shielded from what the town was really like.

It was the fourth day that Nick was told that he would meet with the prince in the afternoon, to sign the papers. Nick had been worried, because the boat sailed tomorrow and he wanted to be on it. He was done with Alaska, and Russians, only wanting to get to his ranch. Lunch helped put him in a good mood, because he sat next to Katarina, who made him laugh with stories of India.

At exactly 2:00pm he was shown into the prince's heavily decorate study, with yet another picture of the Tsar on the wall. Prince Sergey offered tea or coffee, and small talk for a bit, before getting down to business. Nick ground his teeth, but held his temper, knowing the uniformed man held all the cards in the matter. He had picked up that the Governor-General represented the Tsar, and as such had the same authority that the ruler had.

"Nicholas, I have the land grant here, as well as the paperwork for the transfer of the property. Overall I am pleased with the deal we have worked out." The prince affirmed to Nick, who felt a tingle in his spine, always a sign of trouble. He sat up straighter, and wondered what the prince was up to. Nick wished they didn't need that parcel of land that the grant represented, and he was sure that the man across the desk knew how badly they needed it too.

"Your Highness, you said overall? Is there something concerning you?" Nick queried, trying not to sound too worried.

"I have a small family matter that I need help with, and you are, I think the man who can help me." Prince Sergey had decided to be blunt, having seen that the young American was not the patient type. He had been expecting to deal with the lawyer, but luckily Dmitri had given him dossiers on all the brothers. Once he'd found out who was coming he had changed his plan slightly.

"Your Highness, I regard this as a business deal, and I really prefer to keep those matters separate from my family." Nick pronounced in a firm tone, starting to get very scared of what the prince might want or do.

"Very American of course, but in Europe we often combine the two, especially in the matter of land. You have enjoyed the company of my niece, Princess Ekaterina correct?" The prince asked in a smooth tone, and Nick suddenly saw where the conversation was heading. He jumped up hastily, as he looked with shock at the uniformed man.

"I have done nothing more than talk to the young woman, Your Highness, and have always behaved appropriately around her!" Nick declared, wondering who was saying what. He noticed that the prince was waving his hand, and didn't look upset. He sat back down and wondered what the hell was going on.

"Nicholas, you have behaved with her; that is not the issue. In fact, that is part of the reason why I am asking you to do what I am. My niece needs to leave Russian soil sooner, rather than later. If she doesn't the Tsar will force her into marriage to a man who would make her a bad husband. I talk to you as an equal, the man in question is a cruel bastard who will beat her and use her for his own gratification." Prince Sergey's voice took on a strident quality, and Nick saw the fury that the man was feeling.

"I want you to escort my niece to San Francisco, to the English consulate. At that point she will be out of the Tsar's reach. Her mother's family will arrange passage for her to England, something I can't do from here." The older man explained, as if he was asking Nick to take the girl to the park.

"Your Highness I really don't understand, why can't you just put her on the ship with a chaperone?" Nick was totally lost now, and hoped the prince would give him a better explanation for his request. He was also concerned about traveling alone with an unmarried woman, knowing the talk that could be generated by doing that.

"The problem is that she can't leave Russian Alaska as my niece, the Princess Naryshkina. I am a servant of the Tsar, and if I don't do what he says it will cause difficulties not just for me, but my entire family. We could lose our estates, positions, everything, if the Tsar decrees." Prince Sergey, at the back of his mind, knew that the Tsar's total power was a big part of his country's problems. Nick stared at the man, trying to follow his thought processes.

"Nicholas, you are not Russian Orthodox, right?" The older man asked, and Nick shook his head, wondering what his religious beliefs had to do with the conversation. He was starting to wish they had never decided to embark on the waterway project.

"If you marry my niece, she would leave New Archangel as your wife, an American citizen." The prince started to say, and saw that Nick was all set to interrupt him, so he held up his hand.

"Nicholas, since you are not of our religion the marriage will not be valid. Once you get to San Francisco you go see our Bishop, who will annul it. After that you can take Ekaterina to the English consulate, and go home to your ranch, with the land grant." Sergey hurriedly explained his plan, hoping he had judged the young man correctly.

Nick sat there thunder struck at what the Governor-General was proposing, regarding his niece. He also didn't care for the look of desperation in the older man's eyes. Nick knew from past experience that desperate men were willing to do anything to get what they wanted.

"Sir, even if I go along with it, what makes you think the Bishop here will agree to a sham of a marriage?" Nick knew nothing about the prince's faith, but as he thought about Reverend Thompson back home, he knew what that man's reaction would be to this idea.

"Nicholas that is the one thing that troubles my conscience, but to guarantee my niece's safety I will pay the price. The Bishop must not know the true story of why you are marrying her, and you can't admit that you are not Russian Orthodox. Luckily you have a Russian name, and my ADC will help you with the responses for the service." Prince Sergey in fact could have cared less about lying to a member of the clergy, if it helped his plan. That is why there was the sacrament of confession, in his mind.

"I am sorry Your Highness, but I can't agree to this arrangement. It is a lie, and I don't like lies." Nick stated forcefully, and stood up to leave.

"Young man, I admire your integrity and principles. However, how will your family feel when they find out that your idealism cost them the land grant? If you don't have my land, you do not build the waterway you want to, the one that will benefit your livestock so much. There is also the matter of the commerce the project will bring to the people who live in your town. I understand that the revenue would be welcomed in the valley." Prince Sergey had hoped he wouldn't have to play hard ball, but he wasn't afraid to either.

Nick stood staring at the man, open mouth, as he thought about what the older gentleman had just said. He saw that the prince had detailed knowledge of his family, his holdings, and the scope of the project. He remembered his thought about how dangerous a desperate man was, especially one who was used to getting his way. Nick had a thought pop into his brain that might get him out of this mess.

"Sir, you stated that the Tsar will punish you if your niece leaves here under her name. Won't he also punish you if you agree to a marriage the he has not approved?" Nick knew it was a flimsy gambit, but he was willing to try anything, and knew that the Tsar had absolute power. He didn't like the pleased smile the prince had on his face.

"No, that is the beauty of my plan! You are American, and the Tsar is very eager for the gold your country is paying for Alaska. I will explain that I agreed to the marriage because your family is important and I did not want to upset the sale of the province. He will be briefly angry, until he counts the gold." Sergey had lain awake for several nights, until he had worked out what he would tell the Tsar.

Nick looked at the distinguished older man sitting there in his fancy uniform, with a smug smile on his face. He saw the old Spanish document on the desk, and watched as the prince's pale fingers picked it up, as if to admire it. Nick saw Jarrod in his mind, telling him how important it was to have that piece of paper. He also saw the water that would make life better for his livestock, as well as improve the wealth of the valley he loved. He knew that his hands were tied, and he had to do just what the prince wanted.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Thank you to everyone who is reading and enjoying the story!**_

_**A Cruise to Forget**_

It was their fourth day on the boat, and Nick had not seen Katarina since they'd left New Archangel. He had agreed to what Prince Sergey wanted, even as it left a bad taste in his mouth. The wedding had been the next day, a formal affair in the Orthodox Cathedral, with a large number of guests and the Bishop in attendance.

Nick had been relived that he had not had to meet with the Bishop, but dismayed that he didn't get to talk to Katarina before the ceremony either. The prince's ADC had drilled him on the responses, but Nick had not understood one word of the long ceremony that involved crowns being held above their heads. He had made a mental note to ask Katarina about it, but never had the chance.

He had wanted to talk to her before the wedding, to see what her thoughts were on her uncle's plans. Prince Sergey though, being either careful or devious, Nick wasn't sure which, saw to it that the conversation never took place. He didn't even see the girl until she was by his side, in front of the altar at the cathedral.

Nick noticed that she had a beautiful, intricate white lace dress, and long flowing veil, held in place by a glittering tiara. When the time came for the ring, he was surprised to see Pavel, who was acting as best man, produce a diamond band that the Bishop blessed before Nick put it on her finger, repeating the words the clergyman was saying, not knowing what they were. He had never given his wedding a lot of thought, but had never imagined anything like this.

After the ceremony there had been a lunch at the Governor's palace, and then he didn't see her again until they were aboard the ship. Her uncle came to say goodbye to her, and to thank Nick, handing the land grant to him as he did so. He couldn't stand to look at the paper, thinking about what he'd done to secure it. It was tucked away in a leather folio with his travel documents and important papers; he never wanted to see it again.

They had separate staterooms on the ship, which was fine by Nick, wanting to keep the relationship as business like as possible. Now, he was on deck looking out at the heavy sea, as the boat rocked back and forth. He had telegraphed Jarrod to let him know he had the land grant, but had not told him anything else. Nick was planning on getting the girl to the English consulate as soon as they docked, hoping his family would never have to know about the affair.

"Mr. Barkley, excuse me?" A female voice with a heavy accent was talking to him, and he turned to see a middle-aged woman dressed in black, with a lace collar. He nodded his head, and the woman continued on "Mr. Barkley I am very concerned about Her Highness, your wife. She has been very sick since the ship sailed, and has not eaten anything at all."

It took Nick a minute to realize that the woman was Nina, and that she was lady's maid to Katarina. He was taken aback by the woman's reference to his wife, then realized that as far as the maid was concerned, Katarina was his wife. Nick saw that the woman looked very worried, and he sighed, not wanting the girl sick when they docked in San Francisco.

He followed the woman down to Katarina's stateroom, listening as she explained what was going on. The gist is that the girl had been seasick since they left New Archangel, and it was only getting worse. Nick also picked up from Nina that Katarina had gone through the same thing on the boat ride from India. At the back of his mind he felt rather bad for the pretty girl, having to spend so much time on a ship if you were prone to seasickness.

Nick walked into the stateroom, and turned the corner to get to the bedroom area. He saw Katarina lying on the bed in a white nightgown, her dark blonde hair loose on the pillow. Before he caught himself he was admiring how lovely she was, even with being pale and sick. Katarina looked over and saw him, and proceeded to let loose an extremely nasty sounding string of Russian words. Nick stood there, his head slightly tilted, with a smile on his face. That seemed to make her even madder.

"I just told you to go fuck yourself in Russian, and now I will tell you in English!" Katarina declared, and let loose with a string of descriptive curse words that would have impressed his ranch hands. Nick admired her spirit, for being able to speak up in spite of being sick.

"Katarina, I already told you that I was impressed with your fluency in languages. I also admire a woman who can not only say 'fuck' but use it in such a colorful way in a declaratory sentence." Nick offered in an amused tone, wondering what she was going to do next. He was hoping to get her mad enough to get out of bed, that being one of the worst places to be when you were seasick.

Suddenly the boat hit a big wave, which caused it to roll heavily. "I am going to die!" Katarina wailed, as she clutched the bed cover in terror. Nick crossed the room and sat down on the bed next to her, holding her arms. He felt her shaking, and saw that her pupils were so dilated that her blue eyes almost looked black. He continued to hold her arms, until her breathing calmed down some.

"Now, you need to get out of bed and get some fresh air, Katarina. I will wait outside; while Nina helps you get some clothes on, and a coat." Nick had the same tone in his voice that he would have used with a scared horse; firm but kind. He saw that she wanted to protest, but he shook his head and stood up, releasing her arms as he did so. He smiled at Nina, who understood, and went to stand outside in the passageway to wait.

Nick waited until he was out of the room to chuckle quietly, as he thought about the pretty princess cursing like she did. He had told the truth when he said that he admired a woman who could use the word fuck, knowing what it meant. Nick decided that Katarina was not the prim person he had thought, and was looking forward to getting to know her better.

"I am here." Nick heard Katarina's lilting voice, and turned to look at her. The dark blonde hair had been smoothly braided back, and she had on a gorgeous sable coat that covered her body completely. His mother had a Russian sable coat, but it was nothing like this one, all lush and glossy. The dark brown offset her hair and eyes perfectly, and he found himself wanting to put his arms around her. Deciding that those thoughts would only get him into trouble, he pushed them aside.

"Excellent! Now, we are going to the front of the boat, where it won't be so choppy. By the way, the front of the boat is known as the bow." Nick informed her, as he motioned for her to walk in front of him.

"Nicholas, I know all about boats! I hate boats!" Katarina announced in an angry tone, and Nick wondered if he could get her to curse again. He didn't understand why he was having the feelings that he was, especially when she was sick. They made their way to the front of the ship, and he instructed her to look at the horizon. Nick ended up standing next to her, with his hand on her shoulder. He could hardly feel anything, because of the thickness of the fur, but his body was aware of how close she was standing to him.

"I am sorry for cursing at you, Nicholas. It was impolite and unladylike of me." Katarina turned slightly to look at him, after she started to feel better. In fact she was shocked at how she had spoken to the man. She was relieved to hear him laughing, and she saw his eyes laughed also. He really was handsome, she thought to herself.

"Katarina, I was telling the truth when I said I admire a woman who can say fuck. Where did you learn to curse?" Nick was genuinely interested, knowing that young ladies normally did not have that talent. Even his sister, for all of her behavior, couldn't curse like that.

"I spent a lot of time in the stables, and then my cousin Michael taught Sophie and me a lot of words too. Sophie is my cousin, uncle Sergey's daughter." Katarina explained happily, and then Nick saw a sad on her face. When he asked about it, he found out that Michael was the prince's son who had been a soldier killed in Afghanistan, while her cousin was married to a German diplomat.

Nick, wanting to see her cheerful, asked about the stables and they ended up having a good conversation about horses. He was impressed with her knowledge, and for one minute wished he could show her his stables at the ranch. He liked the thoughtful questions she asked, and how she also inquired about the management of the barn. They chatted for a while longer, before Nick convinced her to try to eat some soup in the dining room.

For the rest of the cruise Nick made it a point to make sure that she went outside for fresh air, and they ate lunch and dinner together. During that time he learned a lot about her, but also talked about his family and ranch too. She was good company, and he discovered that she had a dry wit and an irreverent sense of humor. It wasn't until they were close to California that he finally had the chance to talk to her about their 'marriage'.

They were sitting out on deck, as the stars were coming up, when he decided to bring up the subject and see what her thoughts were. It had been hard for him to hear her talk kindly about uncle Sergey, remembering how the man had backed Nick into a corner, to get what he wanted.

"Katarina, do you mind me asking what you thought when your uncle told you about the marriage?" Nick had not been sure how to start the conversation, but decided to get straight to the point. She looked at him, and he once again noticed how deeply blue her eyes were, and the few freckles on her nose.

"My uncle was very mad at me for not staying in India, because it caused a lot of problems for him." She told Nick, and looked off at the horizon. He saw her mouth tighten as she mentioned India, and he wondered what had happened there. Nick asked about it, being sure now it was the reason they were both in this situation.

"While I was in India my cousin Catherine, the daughter of my mother's older brother, was there also. That is why I'm called Katarina, even though my full name Ekaterina, translates to Catherine in English. Anyway, her engagement was about to be announced, but the man decided he wanted me instead. My grandmother has never forgiven my dead mother for marrying a Russian, and really didn't care for me that much. She paid my passage on the ship, and pretty much ordered me to leave. My grandfather has never stood up to her, so he went along." Katarina told the dismal tale, feeling bad that she was leaving out several key details, like who her grandparents were. She rationalized it with the thought she didn't want to boast about her family.

"I am guessing that you are much prettier than your cousin, correct?" Nick smiled at her, being sure of the answer. She nodded her head, giving him a small smile of understanding, and letting him see her dimple. He felt bad that her grandmother had thrown her to the wolves without a second thought.

"My uncle was very upset with me for coming to see him, but that was the only ship that was sailing at the time. It caused a lot of problems, because now the Tsar could order me to marry a man my uncle didn't approve of. When uncle Sergey told me about you, and what you had agreed to, he also told me that I had no other options. Nick, he just wanted to protect me. I hope you understand." Katarina replied in a sad tone of voice.

Nick thought about what she had just said, about what her uncle had told her. He asked what he was wondering and found out that she had not known until the night before the wedding. He decided that uncle Sergey had used her, like he had used him, but saw that from the man's point of view, it was for a good cause.

"What did you think; when he told you that we had to be married?" Nick asked, still wanting to know what she had thought of the idea. He knew that most marriages were arranged, but he disliked the idea of someone being forced to do something they didn't want to do.

"Nicholas, no offense to you, but I was shocked and upset. I felt like I was lying to God, and I didn't like it. I pray every day, always go to church, and truly believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. I'm afraid I'll burn in hell when I die, because of what I did." Katarina sounded like she was going to cry, and he put his arm around her gently. He was not a devout person, and he had been bothered by the deception, so he could see how it would be a grave matter in her mind.

"Well, let's hope that God understands why, because I'm sure he would not want you married to someone who didn't love you." Nick wanted to make her feel better, and he also liked having his arm around her. The chairs were side by side, but he wondered what it would feel like if her body was against his. They sat like that for a while, before she decided to retire for the night. He was both sorry, and relieved to have her go.

"Thank you for being kind, and what you said Nicholas. I appreciate the thought, and I am also very glad that you were able to help me out." Katarina stood up, and smiled down at him as she said it. He smiled in response, and escorted her to her cabin. He kissed her hand, saying good night as he did so. He would see her in his dreams that night, and was not in a hurry for the ship to dock.

The ship arrived a day early, which Nick hoped increased the chances of Jarrod not coming to meet him. His plan was to take care of Katarina first, and then let his family know that he had arrived. He went down to Katarina's cabin, to escort her off the ship. Nick saw that her maid already had everything packed, and would wait for the address of where to go with the luggage. He went to give Nina some money, to tip the pursuer, but found out that Prince Sergey had already given her cash before they had left New Archangel.

"I am so excited to see San Francisco, Nicholas!" Katarina declared when they were up on deck. She went on to tell him that the ship she had taken from India had docked at Seattle. Nick looked at her, with her sparkling eyes and was glad to see some color in her cheeks. Her caramel colored hair was neatly arranged under a small hat decorated with grey feathers.

Her skirt and jacket were soft tweed of grey with blue flecks, while her white pin tuck blouse had a high collar that was decorated with a sapphire brooch. Earrings of the same stones were at her ears, and she wore a long cape of grey fox. Nick thought she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever met, and was very proud to be seen with her. He didn't realize it but they made a striking couple, with his dark looks, and well tailored clothing.

Nick was pointing out landmarks on the coast, having decided to wait until most of the passengers had left the ship, before they disembarked. He was too busy watching her flash her dimple, as he told her a funny story about one of the landmarks, to see who was coming up the gangplank.

"Nick, are you ever going to get off the ship? Oh, excuse me, Ma'm I didn't realize my brother was talking to you." Nick turned to see Jarrod, and their mother right behind him. He groaned inwardly, trying to figure out how to handle the situation. Jarrod was looking with great interest at Katarina, and Nick saw that her beauty was not lost on his brother.

Jarrod, along with Victoria had been waiting at the pier, until they decided to meet Nick on the ship. He'd had no problems seeing his tall brother, and hailed him right away. It was only when they were at the top of the gangplank that he saw that Nick wasn't alone. Jarrod noticed right away how well dressed the woman was, in addition to being tall and stately. When she turned, he saw how beautiful she was also.

"My name is Jarrod Barkley, and this is my mother, Victoria. May I have your name?" Jarrod had taken her hand and was kissing it, and Katarina took notice of them. Nick had told her about his family, and she could see the resemblance. She was surprised they were here too, and wondered how he was going to handle the situation.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, I'm Catherine." Before she could say her last name of Naryshkina, the ship's captain was coming up to them, bowing.

"Mr. & Mrs. Barkley, thank you for sailing on my ship for your honeymoon. I hope you have lots of pleasant memories to take with you." The man announced to Nick and Katarina, who blushed at what the man was implying. Jarrod saw that blush, and was sure he knew why she had turned pink. He was also taken aback to hear that his brother was married, but looking at Catherine, he couldn't fault his brother's taste. He privately hoped that it would not be Hester all over again.

Victoria was horrified at what she had just heard the captain say, and didn't like the meaning of the blush on the young girl's face. She took another look at Nick's bride, just to confirm the thought, that the girl was young. Her clothes were sophisticated, and well made, while the jewelry was valuable. The fur cape was extravagant, and Victoria wondered how much it had cost her son. She loved Nick, but knew that where women were concerned, his track record was not good.

Nick could not believe how this had all worked out, and did not like the knowing look on his brother's face. Even less he liked the look his mother had, especially as her eyes narrowed when she looked at Katarina. Without even thinking about it, Nick put his arm around her, feeling the need to protect her from his mother's reaction. At the back of his mind Nick was thinking of the comments the woman had made about Russians, and what she would say when she found out her son had 'married' one.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Roulette with God**_

The ride to the hotel was stiff and uncomfortable in Katarina's mind, and she felt sorry for Nick. She knew that he had planned on taking her to the consulate first, but now those plans were changed. Nick had told his family they needed to talk, so it was agreed that they would go to the hotel that Victoria was staying at. Katarina picked up that Jarrod had an apartment in town, but it was being renovated.

Katarina was impressed with the elegance of the hotel, as good as what she would have seen in London or Paris. The lobby was ornate, and it turned out that the Barkley's were staying in a suite that occupied most of the top floor. The décor was top notch, and fresh flowers filled several vases, giving the room a spring like fragrance.

Nick explained everything to his mother and brother, knowing that honesty was the best policy. He was pacing around as he did so, finding it hard to sit still. His mother was sitting on a sofa, while Jarrod stood next to her. He saw Katarina sitting on a love seat, looking cool and collected to the outside world. Nick knew though, having spent two weeks with her, that her eyes told a different story. She was scared and rather embarrassed. Their eyes met a one point, and he realized that she felt bad for him too. In his mind, her concern for him said a great deal about her.

"Mrs. Barkley, your son did me a great favor, by taking me out of New Archangel. As a subject of the Tsar I have to follow his orders, or he can punish my family if I don't. Please be assured, our marriage is not valid." Katarina started to explain, wishing the silver haired woman wasn't looking at her with dislike. She was starting to think that her grandmother would have been preferable to this.

"How can your marriage not be valid if you were married in church?" Victoria inquired in almost dulcet tones, doing her best to contain her fury at the girl sitting opposite her. Thoughts of Hester were in the back of her mind, but she decided she would prefer that simpering fool to this cool, Russian girl. She had been relived to figure out that her son had not paid for the girl's finery, but not happy to learn that she was a Russian aristocrat.

"Nicholas is not Russian Orthodox, so our wedding ceremony is not valid. If we had really been getting married, the service would have been different, because of the religious beliefs." Katarina tried to explain it, hoping the woman would stop looking at her so venomously. Nick saw what was going on, and felt for her, not liking how his mother was behaving. He went over and sat down next to Katarina, putting his arm around her in support.

When Nick sat next to her, putting his arm around her, she instinctively moved closer to him, feeling safe. He was warm, strong, and smelled good. Katarina had noticed on the ship, when he was next to her, his scent which was slightly spicy, but masculine. Now, having him close made facing his family easier.

Jarrod had been watching his brother and Catherine with great interest. He was very good at reading people and saw that for all of her bravado, the young girl was more upset than she was letting on. He did give her high points for her performance, and was intrigued at how she and Nick seemed to support each other, without saying a word. He'd seen them look to each other in reassurance, and he noticed how close they were sitting together. Jarrod suddenly felt very envious of his brother, having a connection to this girl that was private, involving no one else. He found himself missing Beth as he watched the drama unfolding before him.

Victoria heard those words, and felt a sharp pain in her heart, not liking what she had to do. It would be easy to keep quiet, and not say what she knew, but she was too much of a religious person to look the other way. She gave Catherine another look, and had to admit the girl was beautiful, well mannered, and composed. If only she wasn't so young, and didn't belong to a group of people that Victoria despised.

"Nick, there could be a complication to your marriage." Victoria informed him, and they all turned to look at her expectantly. At the back of her mind she noticed that Nick still had his arm around Catherine, who didn't seem to mind. She, however, did mind a great deal, not liking what the closeness implied.

"The night you were born was very bad, with a rain storm that caused a lot of damage. The area was still very primitive, and the doctor was too far away to make it. Our ranch foreman went to the Russian mission that was just down the river from us. It turned out that one of the monks had some medical training, and he came to help. You were born early, and he wasn't sure if you would make it or not. I was sick with a fever, and your father was too upset to be able to help." Victoria laid the story out, and she remembered vividly the night Nick had been born.

"The monk was afraid you were going to die, and he told me he named you and blessed you in case you didn't make it." Victoria had been so relieved that the baby hadn't died that she'd not really paid attention to what the monk had said in his heavily accented English. Nicholas would not have been her choice, but Tom had liked it, so she had gone along.

"Mother, what do you mean by blessed me?" Nicholas felt that tingle on his spine, as he thought about the implication of what his mother had said. Jarrod was intrigued, never having heard the story before, while Catherine looked like she might be sick.

"Nick, I don't know what he meant! I could hardly understand him, and really could only think about the fact that you were alive." Victoria sighed, wishing her memoires of that night were clear. It had been a hard year, and her being pregnant had not helped at all.

"Wasn't he baptized in your faith though, Mrs. Barkley?" Catherine asked in her lilting accent, and Jarrod smiled in spite of the circumstances; her voice was lovely. He pictured her reading poetry, and decided he could listen to her all day.

"No, Catherine he wasn't. For the longest time we didn't even have a brick and mortar church, let alone a priest in residence. It was just never a priority, and then I forgot about it, until you made the statement about Nick not being of your faith." Victoria did not like being called out on her oversight, especially if it meant her son might really be married to this aristocratic girl.

"Catherine, didn't you say that you had to go see the Russian Bishop here, to get the marriage annulled?" Jarrod queried her, and when she nodded her head he offered "I think we should all go talk to him about the issue. If the Russian monk baptized Nick, there should be a record of it." Everyone agreed that it was a good idea, each thinking their own private thoughts, none of them very happy.

Holy Trinity Cathedral had been established in 1857, and when she walked inside Catherine immediately felt at peace. The church looked like the ones she had grown up in, with the icons and the smell of incense. She crossed herself three times, and said a prayer that God would look out for her. Nick was busy comparing this cathedral to the one in New Archangel, and saw the similarities immediately. It was very different from the church he and his family attended in Stockton.

A monk came up to greet them, and Catherine explained in Russian what they were there for. The monk recognizing her title, and last name, bowed deeply to her. The Barkley's watched and listened with interest, wondering what was going on, and why the monk was bowing to her. Nick was willing to bet that Katarina had announced who she was, but he wasn't going to tell his mother that.

Soon they were sitting in the office of the Bishop, a heavily bearded man with kind, deep set black eyes. When Katarina had greeted him, genuflecting and kissing his ring, she had asked, in Russian, not to reveal her title. After the blessing she switched to English and introduced the Barkley's, who inclined their heads as a sign of respect. Katarina explained the story, and showed the Bishop the marriage documents that had been signed after her marriage in New Archangel.

Victoria explained about the night of Nick's birth, and the monk who had helped out. The Bishop asked several questions, including the area the birth took place in, as well as the month and year. He excused himself for a moment, and Katarina was left alone with the Barkley's in the office. She looked over at Nick and thought again how tall and handsome he was. She had also been impressed at how kind he had been with her, almost protecting her she felt.

Nick was in shock as he sat there in the office, feeling like he was waiting for a death sentence. At the hotel he had been concerned about Catherine, and the implication of his mother's story hadn't started to sink in until the taxi ride over to the Cathedral. He remembered Prince Sergey pointedly asking him about his religion, and how he had answered. Sitting in this office now, for one of the few times in life, Nick had nothing to say.

Catherine was sitting catty-corner to him, and he knew she was afraid. Nick felt bad, as he thought about the conversations they'd had on the ship. She had told him about England, and the Aunt and Uncle she was going to live with. She'd been excited because they lived right by Oxford University, and she would be able to visit the great library any time she wanted. He realized that because of him she might not get to England after all.

The bearded man came back with an oversize leather bound book, open to a page. "Well I found the entry, and you were in fact baptized in our faith, Nicholas." The bishop said to Nick, and then turned to Jarrod saying "Mr. Barkley, as a lawyer I know you read Latin, and we were required by the Spaniards to keep a set of records in their government language. Please look for yourself."

He handed the book to Jarrod, who saw the entry clearly, and confirmed that it was his brother's information. Jarrod had been thinking about how all this might have been different if he'd been the one who had gone up to Alaska, instead of Nick. He wondered if he would have agreed to what Nick had, but even so the outcome would have been different, because of the religion matter. He couldn't look at Nick, feeling too guilty about his part in this affair.

"Ekaterina Aleksandrovna, in my opinion your marriage is valid." The Bishop decreed, and she stood up in shock all set to say something. Jarrod heard the Bishop address her in Russian, and she sat back down. At least he knew why Nick called her Katarina now, the thought, realizing that Ekaterina was the Russian form of Catherine. Jarrod decided he needed to say something, finding it hard to belief that the Bishop could make a judgment that quickly.

"A marriage is a private covenant, between a man, a woman, and God; there is no room for anyone else." The bearded man delivered the words in a firm voice, looking at Jarrod and Victoria as he did so. He went on; with coolness in his voice "I would like you both to leave, so I may speak to Nicholas and Ekaterina about their marriage." The Bishop stood up and rang a bell as he delivered his verdict. The priest, who had shown them in, arrived at the office and the Bishop said something to him in Russian. He then bade the two goodbye, with an inclination of his head.

Victoria and Jarrod found themselves outside before they knew what was happening, standing in front of the cathedral in shock. Jarrod could tell that his mother was beyond furious, and he decided to get them off the street before she really lost it. He summoned a horse drawn taxi, and once inside started to give the man the name of the hotel, before she interrupted him. Jarrod heard the address and sighed, realizing it was going to be a long afternoon.

"Can you believe that that man asked us to leave?" Victoria raged, trying to process what she'd heard in the office. Jarrod sat next to her, not saying a word, knowing it wouldn't do any good. He was also pretty sure that his brother was in fact really married, whether he wanted to be or not. He had heard a strident note in the Russian Bishop's voice as he talked about a covenant with God.

It was half an hour later, and they were sitting in the office of Episcopalian Bishop Hamilton Williams. Ham Williams was a good friend of the Barkley's, who were major benefactors of the church. Victoria explained the situation to her friend, with Jarrod as an unwilling audience. At least Ham had offered him a drink, which he'd taken the man up on.

"Victoria, I know Bishop Kyrill very well, and he is a good and learned man. If he says the marriage is valid, I would believe him. I would also have to honor it, because our faiths respect the sacraments of each other's churches." The bishop explained, and didn't like the look Victoria had on her face.

She tried to explain herself with the story that Nick had been forced to marry the girl to get the land grant. The couple wasn't in love, and her son had been tricked by the Governor-General. Victoria also brought up the girl's age, but then had to admit she didn't know how old Catherine was. Jarrod had to give his mother credit, it did sound plausible as she laid out her case. The Russian had changed the terms of their deal at the last moment, leaving Nick no other options.

"I'm not sure I see what the difficulty is here, Victoria. Obliviously the girl is well bred, and she came with a good dowry, the land grant, so I don't understand your objection to the marriage. Most marriages I do are not based on love, which comes in time. Does she speak English?" Ham Williams was really at a loss to understand why his friend was so upset. Privately he had thought that those boys should have been married a while ago.

"Victoria, you may not like what this Russian did but he was perfectly in his rights as the girl's guardian. The majority of people would approve of how he married her off. Really, as far as her age is concerned, you don't know how old she is so it is not an issue at this point. If her uncle and the Russian church said she was old enough to be married, that settles it in my mind." Ham was wondering whether he should offer Jarrod another drink, as he went on "Nick could have said no; it was not a matter of life or death, just a business deal."

Jarrod enjoyed watching his mother deal with Bishop Williams, only coming off as looking like an overprotective mother to a full-grown man. The Bishop gave him a sympathetic look when Victoria's back was turned. They arrived back at the hotel, and she announced she was going to lie down. Jarrod looked for Nick and Catherine, but the desk clerk said they had not returned. He arranged for hotel rooms for both of them, ignoring the clerk's inquiring stare. Jarrod wondered what was happening with them, but was sure that they would not want to share a hotel room.

Meanwhile, at the Russian cathedral the Bishop had sent Katrina out to the church, to pray about her marriage. Once she had left the room, the bearded man asked Nick a number of questions, most of them very personal, in his opinion. However, Nick had been brought up to respect the clergy, so he answered the Bishop truthfully, not always liking what he had to admit to. He was glad that his church did not have confession, he decided.

"Nicholas, I don't understand why you want the marriage annulled?" The prelate asked when he finished with the questions. "You are of marriageable age, can certainly afford a wife, and it seems to be that you have been rather lonely lately." The Bishop informed him, and Nick tried to protest that he and Katarina didn't know each other, or love each other.

"Nicholas, most men of your class do not marry for love. Ekaterina Aleksandrovna is a suitable young lady, who brought a desirable piece of property to your family. She is just the sort of woman a man like you should marry." The Bishop replied, and then Nick saw a stern look on his face. "It seems to me that you wanted that land grant bad enough to lie to God, which is what you did when you said those vows."

Nick was already feeling like the man had laid his soul bare, and to be told that he had lied to God, he knew the Bishop was right. He had known it was wrong, but he went along with it just for the reasons the Bishop said. He had only thought about the land grant, and the benefits it would bring.

"You have been greedy and deceitful Nicholas, both to God and to the young lady. I believe the American expression is that 'now that you've made your bed, you need to lie in it'? At least Ekaterina Aleksandrovna is a very beautiful woman." The Bishop informed Nick in almost stentorian tones, and then he excused himself for a moment, and came back with Katarina.

The Bishop gave what Nick could tell was a stern lecture, in Russian to her, and he saw her face blanch as the bearded prelate delivered a final sentence. It was too much for Nick to see her looking like, and rising up from his chair he was all set to confront the man, not caring that he was a high church official. The Bishop watched Nick as he started to stand up, and a small smile appeared on his face.

"I understand that this is not what you thought it was going to be, but I think the Lord has brought you two together for a reason. However, I do see that there are mitigating circumstances, so here is what I propose. Within six months, if you both want the marriage annulled, and there have been no physical relations, I will do it." The man told Nick and Katarina, who looked at him in shock. They both tried to protest, but it did no good.

After they left the cathedral, Nick summoned a taxi, and they started back to the hotel. He looked at Katarina, pale faced, huddled in the corner of the carriage. Thinking about the way the Bishop had talked to him, he cringed. He knew that her lecture from the Bishop was much worse, because she was of his faith.

"Katarina, can I ask what the Bishop said to you?" Nick asked gently, not liking the tight look she had around her mouth. She was almost as pale as when she'd been seasick, which also concerned him. He had thought about asking her if she was all right, but decided it would be a damn stupid question.

"Do you know the game 'Russian Roulette'?" Katarina asked, and it took him a moment to get the reference, and then he nodded his head. "Bishop Kyrill told me that I had played Russian roulette with God, and received exactly what I deserved for my sin." She wanted to do nothing more than go cry, but a noblewoman did not break down like that. Katarina also wished that Nick was not looking at her with such kind eyes.

Nick thought about what the Bishop had told him, about how he had been greedy, willing to lie to God, to get the land grant. It didn't matter what story the Governor-General had spun him, in the end it all came down to a piece of paper. His family had wanted it, and her family had known it, and used them both. Yes, she was protected from the Tsar, but she was also married to him against her will.

"Katarina, you weren't the only one who played roulette with God!" Nick informed her in a terse tone, as the carriage took them back to the hotel.


	5. Chapter 5

_**All Aboard**_

Katarina was ready when Nicholas came to pick her up for breakfast the next morning. Last night, after they had arrived back at the hotel he had offered to buy her dinner, but she had turned him down. She was sure that he must despise her, with how things had turned out. Katarina felt awful for him, being stuck with her. Before he said goodnight, he told her what time to be ready for breakfast, as well as what time the train would leave. She had been relived that there was a hotel room for her, and she gathered that Nick had a separate one, a gesture she was grateful for.

Her maid fixed her a cup of tea, and poured her a bath, before she fell into bed. Katarina couldn't understand why, in spite of being so tired, she couldn't get to sleep. All that she knew was that she was married to a man who had not wanted to marry her, and whose family disliked her intensely. Katarina didn't even want to think what the next six months would be like, living under those circumstances.

Nina for her part was happier than she'd been in a long time with how things had turned out. She had understood what His Highness Prince Sergey had done for his niece, and applauded the man's judgment. She had not been thrilled about going to England, having had enough of the English in India, with their poor treatment of her and the young princess.

While her mistress had been off talking to the Bishop, Nina had been talking to the hotel staff, as well as some of the other ladies maids. What she found out about the power and wealth of the Barkley family cheered her greatly. The princess would be very safe from the Tsar, and she was sure that Americans had to be better than those stuck up Englishmen. Nina also remembered how kind Mr. Nicholas had been on the ship, to her mistress.

Nick knocked on Katarina's door, glad that Jarrod had taken care of the room arrangements for them. He had not cared for how pale and sad Katarina had looked last night, and he was sure that having to share a hotel room would have pushed her over the edge. Nick also had the Bishop's warning about physical relations in his mind. Nina opened the door, and he smiled at the woman, knowing that she cared about Katarina a great deal. He looked at his wife now, and couldn't help being pleased at how wonderful she looked.

Her dress was white with royal blue stripes in a zig zag design, swept back into a bustle trimmed with lace. The same lace decorated her neckline, and he saw that she wore the same sapphire jewelry as yesterday. Her hat was made of chiffon layers in the same royal blue as the dress, with white lace that echoed the trim on the dress.

The outfit highlighted her caramel colored hair, and deep blue eyes, as well as her creamy skin. Nick had an eye for pretty, well dressed women, and he knew that Katarina's outfit was the height of fashion. At the back of his mind he knew his sister was going to very impressed with his wife. He smiled happily at her, until he saw the circles under her eyes. They matched the puffiness around his eyes, and Nick knew that neither of them had slept well.

"Did you get dinner last night?" Nick asked, deciding to stick to a safe topic. Katarina told him that she'd had some tea, not being very hungry. She then asked if he had eaten, but he shook his head.

"I went to the bar, had three shots of whiskey, then decided that getting drunk would not do anything but give me a headache." Nick felt the need to be honest with her, not wanting to lie to her for some reason he didn't understand. He didn't tell her that he had lain awake thinking about how he, and his family, had messed up her life.

"Is whiskey like scotch? The British all drink scotch or gin, while the Russians drink vodka." Katarina asked him, not being shocked at what he had told her. In truth she taken two large swallows from her father's old flask that was filled with vodka she had pilfered from her uncle's liquor cabinet. She told Nick that and he laughed, telling her that he didn't blame her one bit.

They were walking down the hall, and arrived at the top of the stairs when suddenly Katarina stopped, and pulled him off the side, where there was an alcove. Nick had been cheered by her confession, and he remembered the way she could curse. He decided that if he had to spend six months with a woman, he could do a lot worse than Katarina.

"Nicholas, your family hates me. What are they going to say when they find out I am going to the estate with you?" Katarina was panicked about facing his mother, thinking about how the woman had looked at her yesterday. All of her Cousin Sophie's tales about her mother-in-law paled in comparison now.

"Katarina, first off it is called a ranch, ok?" Nick tilted his head, as he took her hands in his, and watched as she nodded her head. She was surprised at how nice it felt to have him hold her hands, and she looked up trustingly into his green eyes. He was standing close enough to her that she caught a faint whiff of his scent. It also felt like a colony of butterflies had taken up residence in her stomach.

"My mother was very surprised yesterday, but will have had time to adjust to the news by now. I won't say it will be easy, but I will look out for you, I promise. My mother is a good person once you get to know her." Nick wished he had something more encouraging to tell Katarina, and hoped that Jarrod had been the voice of reason. He loved his mother greatly, but knew how principled the woman could be.

"Nicholas, don't go into politics, you are a lousy liar!" Katarina told him, but smiled anyway, appreciating his efforts. Nick saw that she was very sharp, and didn't miss anything; he was glad that he had been truthful up to now, and made a note to continue to be that way with her. It came to him that it was rather nice to be with someone who saw you for what you were, but liked you anyway.

Jarrod was sitting in the dining room of the hotel with his mother, glad to see that she had calmed down since yesterday. Jarrod still felt bad for how it all had come about, knowing he should have been the one to go to Alaska. He had spent most of last night pointing out to his mother that they were all stuck with the situation. He also reminded Victoria of what the land grant meant to the family, and she had bowed her head in acquiescence. What he didn't bring up was the subject of the night of his brother's birth, or why their mother had not thought to get Nick re-baptized in their faith.

There was a rustle in the dining room, which was mostly filled with male diners, and Jarrod turned to the doorway, to see what the fuss was. He saw Catherine come in with Nick, and he discerned why all the men had turned to look at her. She was beautiful, in her eye catching outfit, and Jarrod saw that Nick was enjoying all the attention they were getting. He knew his brother was proud of his reputation as a ladies' man, and Catherine was certainly a worthy companion for him. His mother looked up, saw the couple, and looked away to her hide her displeasure.

Jarrod stood up when they arrived at the table, and greeted his sister-in-law with a polite hug. He knew they were the center of attention in the room; the story of Nick's wife would be all over the town by this afternoon. He had already heard from a member of Edward Crocker's law firm the story that the Barkley's had only been given the land grant because of Nick being willing to marry the Governor-General's niece.

Jarrod had subtlety gone along with the story, knowing some explanation was needed for the sudden marriage. In the circles they operated in, a marriage like that was understood and accepted whole heartedly. Bishop Williams had said almost the same thing yesterday. He had to laugh that his brother, who cared little for high society, was going to be acclaimed by that group for doing the right thing.

Victoria also understood what was at stake, and greeted Catherine, the look in her eyes belying her gestures. Nick ordered a large breakfast, while Katarina only had coffee and toast. They ate in silence for a bit, before Jarrod finally decided to ask what he had been waiting for them to tell him.

"What happened with the Bishop after we left?" Jarrod decided to leave out the trip that he and Victoria had made to Hamilton Williams, not liking the light it showed his mother in. He didn't want Nick to know what she'd been up to, not being sure of how he would react. He was already worried about what Nick was going to say to him when they finally had the chance to talk. Jarrod was especially concerned about how quiet his brother had been, not his usual loud self.

"His Excellency says that our marriage is valid, but understands the mitigating circumstances. If we still want an annulment in six months he will give us one, provided we don't have a valid marriage." Katarina announced, not wanting to lie to a lawyer, and letting her mother-in-law know the marriage could be undone. She hoped that Jarrod wouldn't query her on what a valid marriage was, not wanting to discuss it over the breakfast table with Nick's brother and mother.

Jarrod knew exactly what she meant, and hid a smile from the table, not wanting to embarrass Catherine. At the back of his mind though, he thought about how Catherine and Nick had behaved with each other yesterday, seeming to have some silent communication between them. Jarrod knew his brother very well, and wondered what was going to happen over the next six months.

After breakfast they went to the train, and Katarina was very impressed to learn that the Barkley's had their own private railroad car. She had already seen the family's influence when a state senator and the Attorney General had stopped by their table while they were having breakfast. She was addressed by her title, and realized that everyone knew the story of her marriage. Katarina was glad that she had been trained in the jungle of St. Petersburg society, because the scrutiny didn't faze her in the least.

Victoria gave her high points for not having talked about her title before, and liked how she was unimpressed with the attention that was being paid to her. The older woman thought about Hester, and how she would have reacted under the same circumstances. Catherine was unfailing polite to the people she met, but always deferred the conversation to Nick and Jarrod.

She noticed again with how well dressed Catherine was, and the quality of her jewelry. Victoria saw that in addition to the sapphire brooch and earrings, she also wore a matching bracelet. As she looked at the girl's wrist, she noticed the diamond wedding band on the left hand, signifying that the girl was married; to her son. Victoria thought it was too much jewelry, especially for someone so young.

Looking at Catherine again, she tried to figure out how old she was. Victoria knew that it was common for girls from Europe to be introduced to society at a younger age than American and English girls were. She didn't care for the practice, and would not have let Audra be put in that situation. Victoria had been criticized for not letting Audra into society until she was almost nineteen, and not pushing her into marriage.

Her views on woman were out of step with society, but she didn't care. Her father had raised her to be independent, and her own person. Tom had admired and loved that about her, always treating her as an equal partner. Victoria wanted her sons and daughter to have the same type of relationship that she'd been lucky enough to have. She had raised Audra to expect that treatment from a man, and would not have forced her to marry against her will. Catherine represented everything she was against, and thinking of what Catherine had said, about six months, she prayed it would go fast

Nina was already on the train, having gone ahead with her mistress' luggage. The oriental attendant had been most helpful, which she appreciated. Coming from the cosmopolitan atmosphere of St. Petersburg, Nina had no issues about dealing with the steward. He knew his job, which was what mattered in her book. She had heard all about the private railroad car from the staff at the hotel, and having been raised in the household of a Russian prince took it all for granted.

Once they were settled Katarina asked Nick if there was somewhere she could lay down, being tired from the night before. She also did not feel up to making small talk with the lawyer who looked at her too intently, and the woman who had made her feelings very clear. He had shown her the largest bedroom in the car, and said that he would let her know when lunch would be served. Nina helped her out of her dress and corset, and Katarina stretched out on the bed in her camisole and bloomers, a light sheet covering her.

Jarrod finally managed to get Nick alone at the back of the car while Soo Lin talked to Victoria about his family. He truly wanted to understand everything that had happened in New Archangel, still feeling bad that he had let Nick make the trip. He could have turned the Peterson case over to someone else, but had not wanted to, preferring that to a high handed Russian prince.

Nick knew that Jarrod wanted to absolve his guilt for what had happened, with the trip to Alaska. He thought about Katarina, in the dining room, as everyone looked at her in great detail. She had not let on that she was aware of it, and he admired her cool composure as she ate her toast. Nick wasn't dumb and knew that a number of women would have been happy to be Mrs. Nicholas Barkley, for the money and the influence. Hester came to mind, but he pushed that thought away, glad now that things had worked out like they had.

Katarina seemed to only be aware of him, and didn't seem too impressed with the attention she was getting. He reasoned though that if you were a princess, and your uncle represented the Tsar, California society was small potatoes. He did like how she didn't flaunt her title, or come across as stuck up when she talked to people. He also saw his mother looking at her with grudging respect, which cheered him greatly.

"Look Nick, I need to apologize for how things worked out. If I had known I would not have sent you up there." Jarrod told his brother with sincerity, and wasn't happy with how disdainfully Nick looked at him. He had always been 'Pappy' the one they looked up to, but now he felt like he'd fallen down on the job.

"Oh please Jarrod, we all wanted that land grant, and you told me to make sure I didn't fuck up the deal. Well we have it now, never mind what it cost – and I don't mean money. Excuse me please." Nick stalked away, and Jarrod was taken aback by the cold fury he had heard in his brother's voice. Screaming, ranting, raging he could have understood, but not this. Jarrod didn't realize how bothered Nick had been by what the Russian Bishop had said to him, about his behavior.

Nick spent the rest of the morning catching up on ranch reports, ignoring Jarrod and his mother, who were both reading anyway. It was almost lunch time, and he decided to go wake Katarina himself, instead of having Nina do it. He needed to talk to her about a matter, and knew they needed privacy for the conversation.

He knocked lightly on the door, and then stepped quietly into the darkened room when he heard her voice. Nick's eyes adjusted to the lower light, and he saw Katarina slowly sitting up, wearing a lace and ribbon trimmed white camisole. The rest of her body was under the sheet, but the view of neck and chest, with all that creamy skin was more than enough to get his thoughts and body going.

The camisole was tied together with a blue satin bow, just above her breasts, and Nick started undoing it in his mind. As he was pushing the shoulder strap off of her, the image of the Russian Bishop came into his head. He decided he needed to stop thinking what he was, before he made the situation worse.

Katarina saw Nicholas standing just inside the room, handsome in his suit, his green eyes looking at her intently, and she felt shy but excited at the same time. She watched him come closer to the bed, and for some reason it was hard to breathe all of a sudden. Katarina also realized how she was dressed, or rather undressed, and pulled the sheet a little higher.

Nick had noticed what she was doing and it made him relived that he wouldn't have to see that blue bow anymore, which was too tempting. He decided that he was going to have to be more careful from now on, with her. Nick felt he had already messed up her life once, and didn't need to ruin it too.

"Katarina, I'm sorry to come in here like this, but I need to talk to you something, in private." Nick explained in a soft voice, one that very few people ever heard. She looked at him wide eyed but nodded her head, as she sat up a little bit more, moving back against the pillows to get comfortable. He was glad she kept the sheet pulled up as she moved. He came over and carefully sat at the far edge of the bed, trying to ignore how intimate it felt.

"Look, I told you about my family, including Heath, my younger brother. I didn't though tell you the circumstances of his birth. He is really my half brother." Nick went on to give her the details, not wanting her to be blindsided, or say the wrong thing. He hoped it wouldn't shock her too much, and that fear eased when he saw her smile in understanding.

"Nicholas, thank you for telling me, so I wouldn't put my foot in my mouth. Just so you know, St. Petersburg society has a reputation for being rather fast, and I know all about that kind of thing. It is not unheard of, but I will not say anything unless Heath does." Katarina responded with a smile, and Nick smiled back in understanding. He had been afraid of her reaction, considering how religious she was, but it was apparent that she had seen more of the world than he had thought.

"It sounds like you have a close relationship with him now, but I'm sure it was difficult for you when he first showed up." Katarina tilted her head as she spoke, and Nick noticed the blue eyes, thinking of the old Irish expression 'blue eyes put in with a dirty finger'. He was taken by surprise by her comment, and asked her about it.

"Nicholas, I don't know a lot about you, but I do know that you are a very proud man who loves his land with a strong passion. I just don't see you taking kindly to a stranger showing up and laying claim to some of it." Katarina explained her comment, and Nick was all set to deny it.

He then remembered the way he had acted when Heath had shown up. The rest of the family had accepted him right away, but it took Nick a lot longer. At the time he'd felt like no one understood where he was coming from, while his family had thought he was being difficult. Nick realized that Katarina would have understood his reaction to Heath. He found himself telling Katarina that, and also some of the stuff he had done to Heath. Nick wasn't proud of his actions then, but talking to her about the situation helped him come to peace with it.

"I didn't mean to pry, I was just really curious." Katarina told him when they were done, but glad that they had talked. She wanted to get along with Nicholas' people, if she was going to be living with them for six months. She didn't want to admit how easy it was, to sit here, and talk with him. It had been like that on the ship too, she remembered.

Katarina was getting the feeling that everyone talked at him, but no one ever talked to him. She thought about how concerned she'd been for him yesterday, when they had been at the hotel, talking to his family. His brother had been carefully analyzing everything that was said, while his mother had acted like they had ruined her day on purpose. In Katarina's mind, neither of them thought about how brave and kind Nick had been, in what he had done for her.

The rail car was swaying gently as it went along the tracks, and the top partitions of the windows were open, to let in fresh air. Nick felt a calmness sitting with Katarina, as they discussed the circumstances of Heath's arrival. He gazed at her, seeing the dark blonde hair pulled back but slightly loose around her beautiful features.

She was peaceful, and made him feel welcomed in a way he had never experienced with a woman before. It was the sense that he could have told her anything without reservation, and she would know why it had happened. Nick also felt a sense of trust, and an emotional connection he didn't understand between them.

Nick looked at her, and noticed for the first time just how young she was. He thought about her behavior with the Bishop, his family, and all those prying eyes at breakfast. Katarina had never cried, whined, or caused a scene about the circumstances she found herself in. It came to him that she was strong in a way that was like steel, a metal that could bend but not break.

Katarina had been dealt a bad set of cards more than once, but she had bravely played the hand she'd been dealt, never once complaining about it. He decided then and there that if he did nothing else for the next six months, he would see to it that her life was better than what it had been before. At the back of his mind, he hoped that if he made this brave young woman happy, maybe God would forgive him for the deception he had gone along with.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Valley Arrival**_

Katarina was sitting in the carriage, next to Victoria, on the ride out to the ranch. Lunch had been bearable, as the conversation revolved around what had been going on since Nicholas had been away. As the discussion continued, he would sometimes stop and explain a term to her, while Jarrod offered funny comments. Victoria had been polite, but had not made any effort to include Katarina in the conversation.

The arrival at the station had been interesting, and her first thought on seeing Stockton was that it looked like a thriving town. It certainly wasn't anything like England, she knew, but was so much more than the poverty she was used to in Russian towns. Katarina was glad that the carriage was waiting for them, as she felt every set of eyes in town on her. She hoped, for Nicholas' sake, that she was making a good impression.

Riding in the carriage now, Nicholas and Jarrod were sitting across from her, as Nicholas pointed out various landmarks. He took pride in showing her the citrus groves, and she smiled in acknowledgement. On her family's estate in the Crimea they grew the same crops, so she understood what he was explaining to her. Katarina would have liked to have asked him some questions about the groves, but decided to wait until they were alone to do so.

She had been glad to see the citrus groves, and to hear about the grapes too, another crop her family had grown in the Crimea. On the ship, Nicholas had told her a great deal about the cattle, something she had known nothing about. Now, as then, Katarina heard the pride in his voice as he talked about his ranch. The countryside was beautiful, being in the full bloom of spring, and she saw how fertile the valley was.

Nick was enjoying himself, as he showed Katarina various parts of the ranch, and he wished it was just the two of them. He noticed that she was very interested in the citrus groves, and Nick decided that he would take her around later, maybe on horseback. He liked the way she looked around, and he could tell that she was impressed with what she was seeing.

He remembered her saying something about her family's estates in Russia, and he wondered what they had grown on them. He knew that she wasn't a city girl, a fact he was glad about now, considering that she was going to be living on the ranch for the next six months. Nick looked over at her as he thought it, and she noticed him smiling at her. Katarina smiled back, wanting him to know that she was doing fine.

Lunch had concerned Nick, with the way his mother behaved, but he appreciated that Katarina seemed not to notice it. He hoped that Victoria would come around to Katarina, given enough time. She should not have to suffer because of what her family, and his, had done. Neither had she deserved the way the Bishop had spoken to her in his opinion. Katarina had done nothing wrong, but she was getting all the blame, which upset him.

That train of thought was broken when he looked around and saw the white entrance gate to the ranch. He felt his heart swell with pride as he saw the oval sign with their brand on the top of the gate. Nick turned back around and pointed to it, explaining to Katarina what it meant. In her mind she related it to her family's coat of arms, and understood what it meant to Nicholas. She was trying to take it all in, and hoped that he would give her a tour, all by herself.

Victoria looked over at the girl sitting next to her, seeing everything with large eyes. She noticed that Catherine's hands clad in thin leather gloves the same shade of blue as the stripes in her dress, were clasped in her lap. Beyond one or two comments, the girl had let Nick do most of the talking, which Victoria knew her middle son loved to do. She was trying to imagine this over dressed, over jeweled aristocrat living under her roof.

Jarrod was glad to see Nick's natural exuberance come back, as they traveled deeper into Barkley land. His brother was connected to the land in a way that Jarrod wasn't, but he respected his brother's feelings. He had been watching Catherine, as Nick told her about the ranch, and liked how she seemed to know what Nick was talking about. Jarrod was also sure that if she and his brother had been alone, Catherine would have been more talkative. He sighed inwardly, as he glanced across at his mother, looking imperious.

"Oh, it's lovely!" Katarina exclaimed as they rounded the curve and she saw the house on the other side of the wrought iron gate. The white square posts, topped with round finials provided support for the soaring, curved iron work, surmounted by an intricate 'B'. She looked at the beautiful house with the tall white pillars, black shutters, and a delicate fountain out front.

Nick was pleased that she liked the house, being concerned, at the back of his mind, of what her expectations were. He had been to Europe once, and understood how the nobility lived there. He didn't know anything about her English relations, but figured that she must come from a very grand Russian family, since her uncle had been chosen to represent the Tsar in Alaska.

They pulled up to the front of the portico, and Nick jumped out first, extending his hand to Katarina. He had an odd impulse to pick her up and carry her over the threshold, as if she was really was his bride. Instead, he kept his one hand on her waist for just a little longer than necessary, liking how close she was to him. It came to him again that he wished it was just the two of them, and not his brother and mother too.

Katarina looked into Nicholas' eyes, and forgot about everything but the two of them, and how his hand felt at her waist. She had that odd combination of shortness of breath, and butterflies in her stomach that he created so easily. At the same time there was a sense of closeness that made her want to move against him, in a way that would be too indecent. Really, she thought, the man turned her mental processes into mush.

Jarrod was watching Nick and Catherine, yet again feeling like he was intruding on a private moment. The Russian Bishop came to mind, with his comment about the parties involved in a marriage. He wondered why he had been thinking about Beth so much lately, and why his mother had to be so opinionated. Catherine was beautiful, polite, kind, and came with a dowry that was going to increase their wealth tenfold. Jarrod didn't see why she should be sacrificed on the altar of his mother's principles.

Nick opened the door, and then took Katarina's hand as he escorted her in to the house. She admired the beautiful woodwork, the gold brocade on the walls, and the tall plants. The sweeping circular staircase was lovely, and Katarina liked how open but warm it felt. In some ways it was like an English country house, with the paneling, but it didn't have the formalness that she associated with those houses.

Katarina saw a Negro, in a suit, coming up to greet them, and she smiled at him. Silas looked at the tall, blonde woman holding Mr. Nick's hand, and wondered who she was. The way she carried herself reminded him of the well bred mistress, in the great plantation house he had worked in a long time ago. He saw right away that she was aristocratic, but he liked how she was looking at Mr. Nick, deciding that she was kind also.

"Silas, this is my wife Catherine. Catherine, this is Silas who runs everything!" Nick announced, in his normal, loud voice that echoed around the open front hall. Katarina glanced at her husband, and liked how joyful he looked. This was his domain she understood, and she almost wanted to laugh at how he was acting. She turned to him and smiled happily, which made him feel like everything was going to be fine.

"Miz Catherine, welcome home!" Silas declared with pleasure, liking how cheerful Mr. Nick looked. Catherine beamed at him, and they exchanged a few words of greeting. She wasn't fazed by Silas being a Negro, having just come from British India. She also liked how Nicholas spoke so highly of the man, which Katarina took to be a high recommendation. Silas for his part was impressed that Miz Catherine just seemed pleased to be with Mr. Nick.

"Nick, you are here! Welcome home!" A petite young woman with pale blond hair came running into the front hall, throwing herself at Nick as she shrieked her greeting. It took her another moment to see the tall woman, with the dark blonde hair and stylish clothes standing next to her brother.

Audra had just come from riding, and was wearing her divided riding skirt, plain blouse, and loose hair. She looked over at the cool, composed, well dressed woman, and suddenly felt hot and devishled. The tall woman's dress was the height of fashion with its elaborate lace trimmed bustle that offset the design of the dress.

The dark blonde hair was elaborately arranged under a chiffon hat in the same shade of blue as the stripes on the dress. Audra also noticed the large, valuable sapphire jewelry, as well as the gloves on the woman's hands, in the same shade of blue. She suddenly felt very young, and wished she was wearing something else, as she looked at the woman standing next to her brother.

"Audra, this is my wife Catherine. Catherine, this is my wonderful sister Audra." Nick made the introductions proudly, and Katarina looked at the pretty girl kindly. Nicholas had mentioned a younger sister, who he loved very much.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. Nicholas has said so many kind things about you." Catherine extended her hand to the young girl, as she spoke in her lilting accent. Audra took her hand, looking up into the tall woman's eyes that sparkled. She forgot about what she was wearing, as she took a closer look at the dress the woman had on.

"I am glad to meet you too Catherine. I love your outfit! So that is what a bustle looks likes; I've only seen them in magazines. Is your dress from Paris?" Audra loved clothes, and had been looking forward to a trip east later in the year, to update her wardrobe. The thought that she had a new sister-in-law that already had the latest styles was like a dream come true. She was so busy thinking about dresses that the fact her brother was married didn't register.

"No, it was made by a dressmaker in St. Petersburg who is very good at copying French fashion. Thank you for your compliments." Katarina wanted to giggle at Audra's enthusiasm and was sure that they would become friends. She would be glad to have some female companionship, having always been with her cousin Sophie.

"St. Petersburg? Isn't that in Russia?" Audra's eyes widened as she tried to place what Catherine was telling her. She realized that the tall woman must be Russian, so Nick had met her up in Alaska she reasoned. The whole thing came together in her mind, along with the fact that Nick had introduced her as his wife.

Nick saw how Audra's mind was working, and decided to change the subject before his sister said anymore about Russia. "Hey, where is Heath? Is his leg healed?" Nick inquired to Silas, as Victoria and Jarrod looked at him for the answer.

"He took the trap out to the sheds in the north pasture. He is getting around pretty well, but still needs a cane." Silas explained, thinking that Mr. Heath was going to be sorry he wasn't here.

"Nick, I want to hear all about the wedding? And how you two met? Let's go sit down so we can talk." Audra gushed excitedly, and Katarina's heart fell. She really didn't want to discuss the whole affair again, but knew that Nick's sister was entitled to know the circumstances.

"Audra, we can talk later, ok? I'm going to take Katarina upstairs, and then go check the barns." Nick had seen the look of dismay on Katarina's face, and didn't blame her one bit. He decided that Jarrod could explain everything, since he had wanted to make amends on the train. Nick put his hand on Katarina's back as they walked upstairs together.

"Silas?" Katarina had stopped, and turned around with a swishing sound from the silk in her bustle. "Silas, my maid Nina will be coming with the luggage wagon." She was sure that Silas would help Nina get situated. Katarina had been relived when Nicholas suggested they go upstairs, but now she was wondering where she was going to be staying.

"Of course Miz Catherine, I'll see to her." Silas told the young woman, liking how Mr. Nick was keeping his hand on her back. He could see that Mr. Nick was very protective of his bride, as it should be, in the butler's mind. Silas watched them continue up the stairs, and then turned to see Mr. Jarrod escorting Mrs. Barkley and Miss Audra into the library. He wondered what it was about, before he went back to work.

Upstairs Nick and Katarina were walking down a well decorated hallway. She noticed the thick carpet underfoot, the beautiful paneling, and the brocade wall paper. Tasteful pictures were interspersed among wood paneling, and doors with elaborate hardware. The whole house was beautiful, which reassured her about living here for six months. They arrived at the end of the hallway, and Nick stopped in front of a set of double doors.

"I thought you would like the magnolia room here, Katarina. It has its own bathroom and balcony; we usually use it for important guests." Nick explained, hoping she would approve. He had chosen it for the reasons he stated, plus it was close to his room, and on the opposite end of the house from his mother's room.

"Nicholas, I don't want to cause trouble by taking a room you might need for other guests." Katarina demurred, but really liking the idea of a private bathroom.

"Nonsense, you are our most important guest now. Let me show you the room." Nick gave her one of his infectious smiles, and she couldn't help smiling back. He opened the door and led her into the room where she would be staying. Right away she noticed how lovely it was, wallpapered with a design of white magnolia flowers against a restful beige and gold background.

The furniture was dark wood, but not heavily carved like the pieces downstairs. Instead the curves were soft swirls, while the bed had the same design on the four posts and headboard. The bedding, along with the drapes, was done in the same beige and gold, with touches of white. There was a small sitting area in the room, with a loveseat, chair, table, writing desk, and a chair.

"It is so pretty! Are you sure it is all right for me to take this room?" Katarina had visions of her mother-in-law in her mind as she asked. Nick reassured her though, as he showed her the balcony, bathroom, and closet/dressing area. He told her what time dinner was, and how they dressed, which she appreciated the heads up on.

"I'll come get you a little after 6:00pm, to go downstairs." Nick affirmed looking at her closely to make sure she was ok. He was glad that she liked the room as much as she did, wanting her to be comfortable. Nick had been pleased that it had gone well with Silas and Audra downstairs, wanting them to like Katarina.

He had remembered to introduce her as Catherine, per her request. He had asked her why, and her response had been that Catherine was the English form of her name, and since everyone spoke English she should use it. Nick had said though that he was still going to call her Katarina, because that was what she had told him to call her when they first met. That comment had made her giggle, and flash her dimple which enchanted him.

"I will be ready then, I promise." She averred to him, as he took his leave. Katarina knew that he was anxious to get to the barns, and didn't want him to feel like he needed to hang around. She had disrupted his life enough already. After he left she went back out to the balcony to admire the view, and wait for Nina. She also wondered if Jarrod or Victoria were telling Audra about her marriage.

In the library Jarrod was in fact telling Audra about Nick and Catherine's marriage, and how it had happened. When he finished she looked over at her mother, and now knew why the older woman had seemed cool to Catherine. Audra had noticed that her mother did nothing to make the young woman feel welcomed, and it had surprised her.

Audra was also shocked at the idea that Catherine had been forced to marry Nick by her uncle. She knew that most girls did have their marriages arranged, but the idea still stuck her as barbaric. It was like a woman was a piece of livestock, instead of a person. Audra was sure that this governor-general prince person must be one of those tyrant aristocrats her mother had spoken about. As she had that thought, another one came to her mind.

"If Catherine's uncle is a prince, does that mean that she is a princess?" Audra was intrigued by the idea of a sister-in-law with a title. She had read about some American girls who had married English dukes, and the grand style they lived in.

"Yes, she is Audra, but she has never mentioned it, nor used it with anyone she's met." Jarrod informed his sister, thinking about the restaurant that morning. Several of the people they had talked to had referred to her by her title, but she had brushed it aside saying that this was America. He had wanted to laugh because he knew a number of women who would kill to get a title.

"Thank goodness for that, because I am not bowing to some young girl." Victoria declared in a firm tone, and both Jarrod and Audra looked at her.

"What do you mean young girl, mother? Catherine is older than me, I'm sure; and she's married." Audra was twenty, and she judged from her clothes and manner, that her sister-in-law had to be older. She also assumed that any woman who was married was older than her too. Victoria shook her head in denial, while Jarrod mentally sighed thinking 'oh no, not this again'. He went to pour himself a drink, as his mother talked.

"Hardly! That girl probably isn't old enough to be out of the school room, let alone wearing all that jewelry and married. Take a better look at her tonight, at dinner Audra. I've told you that Europeans rush girls out into society, so they can marry them off quickly. Catherine, you will see, is a perfect example." Victoria stood up, and announced that she was going upstairs to unpack and lay down for a while.

"Jarrod, mother is upset about Nick's marriage, isn't she?" Audra asked her brother after Victoria had gone upstairs. She had been feeling bad for Catherine, with the arranged marriage, and now knowing how her mother felt about Russians and girls being out too soon; well Audra decided that she was going to be Catherine's friend. It sounded like her sister-in-law would need one.

"Audra, upset doesn't come close!" Jarrod exclaimed, and went on to tell about their visit to Bishop Williams. He left Victoria's behavior towards Catherine out, hoping that his mother would be more cordial to Nick's wife now that they were home. If for no other reason, he thought than to set a good example for Audra. At the back of his mind he thought it was probably a hollow hope.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note: **__**I have changed the dates of the Crimean War, to fit my storyline.**_

_**Family Dinner**_

Nick finished getting ready for dinner, after cleaning up from being in the stables all afternoon. He had reviewed the books, and barn records that had been kept while he was gone. He was pleased with what they showed, as well as what he saw with his own eyes. Nick was a hands on manager, and took pride in announcing that he never expected his workers to do anything he himself had not done. He also had a record keeping system that was impeccable, and woe betide the worker who didn't follow the procedures.

All the ranch hands knew about his marriage, and there had been general congratulations on the occasion. Nick though, did not let it go any further, making it clear that his personal life was off limits. For all of his short temper, and loud ways he was very much a private person about his domestic life. He was also concerned about how Katarina would be perceived, after the mess with Hester last summer.

From what Nick had seen of Katarina so far, he didn't think she would give one of his hands a second glance, but he was still sensitive about the matter. She was going to be living on the ranch for the next six months, so they would all get to see her. Nick knew that he had a possessive streak in him, which didn't always sit well with people, especially women. He figured he was going to be walking a fine line the entire time Katarina was on the ranch.

He finished getting ready, and went to her room, knocking on the door when he arrived. Nina opened the door, greeted him warmly, and then excused herself. Nina had been a concern to him, not being sure whether she was supposed to go back to New Archangel after Katarina had been delivered to the English consulate. When those plans all fell through, he had wondered about the woman and her status.

It had been a relief when Katarina had informed him that Nina was coming with her, to Stockton. He found out that the woman had been with her since she was twelve, and didn't want to go back to Russia. Nick had no problem with Nina coming to the ranch, especially if it would help Katarina be comfortable.

Nick knew that while his mother did not have a full-time ladies maid, most upper class women did. It was taken for granted that a 'lady' needed help, and a successful man took pride in being able to provide it. Nick admired his mother for her independent ways, but understood that she was not typical of most women.

He walked into the room now, and saw Katarina waiting for him, looking amazing. Her lavender satin dress was lavishly trimmed with silver lace, and tiny crystal beads that caught the light. It was tight over her bodice, and front of her body, before sweeping into a frothy wave of lavender and silver in the bustled back.

Katarina's hair was elaborately put up, and he liked how the caramel colored pieces interwove with the buttery yellow ones. Nick found himself wondering, not for the first time, what it would be like to take her hair down, feeling the soft strands. He didn't understand how she aroused these feelings in him, but found them both enjoyable and bothersome at the same time. Her hair was ornamented with sparkling amethyst hair pins, randomly scattered among the up do. They complimented the necklace, earrings, and bracelets she wore of amethyst and diamonds.

"You look lovely, Katarina!" Nick told her with pleasure in his voice, liking how the dress flattered her figure, while highlighting her hair. The low cut neckline and puff sleeves that ended above her elbows showed off her creamy skin, as smooth as porcelain. Nick was in awe of her beauty, and felt the overwhelming desire to take her in his arms.

"Thank you Nicholas. It is not too much?" Katarina asked in her soft lilting voice, as she looked at Nicholas. His clothes intrigued her, with the dark shirt and leather vest making him look rugged. She saw too that he was wearing a pair of the pointed toed boots she had seen most of the men in town wearing. Nicholas' were of fine leather, with an elaborate design worked into them.

"No, not at all. My mother and sister like to dress up for dinner, but my brothers and I are a little more casual." Nick explained, noticing that she was looking at his clothes were interest. He realized that up until now she had only seen him in his city clothes, not in his ranch outfits that he worked in. He told her that, and she smiled in understanding.

"I didn't think you were the type that would let an overseer run your estate; excuse me, I mean ranch." She commented, shaking her head at her use of the wrong term. Nick liked how she had picked up that he actually worked on his ranch. It reminded him of his observation before, that she was very sharp and missed nothing.

"You'll get the terminology down, Katarina, don't worry. Just so you know we prefer the word foreman, to overseer. That word is associated with the slavery system in the old south, before the war." Nick advised her, and saw that she looked puzzled. He gave her a quick explanation of the war, figuring out that her point of reference was different because of living in Europe.

"Shall we head down, so my sister can gush over this dress too?" Nick inquired with twinkling eyes, after he finished talking about the war. He saw apprehension in her eyes, and reached over to take her hand as he offered "Would you like a shot of whiskey before we go down?" That made her smile, and he saw her dimple appear.

"Actually, I've already had a shot of vodka, but at some point I would like to try this whiskey that you talk about." Katarina had been thinking about another shot, but felt better now that Nicholas was here. He was so kind, and considerate, she thought, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach.

Her admission caused Nick to laugh loudly, glad that she was a good sport, and liked a shot of hard liquor. He knew that she wasn't a simpering school girl, or an upright prude, both types being hard to deal with. Katarina had been a pleasure so far, and Nick decided he was going to enjoy her company, with the exception of those urges she aroused in him. On their way downstairs Nick explained whiskey to her, and why it was better than scotch. He told her a funny about a Scot, and by the time they entered the front parlor Katarina was laughing delightfully.

Downstairs Heath was eagerly awaiting Catherine's entrance. He had first heard of Nick's marriage from one of the hands, and then was given all the details by Jarrod. Victoria and Audra had joined them, so he was able to hear about Catherine from them too. His brother had said that she was beautiful and kind, while Audra talked about her clothes. Heath had no problem picking up that Victoria was not happy with the girl, because of her age and where she was from. The one thing he didn't know though was what the girl was really like.

Heath knew that if he had gone to Alaska, he would have been the one 'married' to her. He was trying to imagine if he would have done what the Governor-General wanted, like Nick had. His brother wasn't the type to be pushed around, but Heath knew that Jarrod had been insistent that Nick secure the land grant. Even if he had made the trip to Alaska, he would not be in the position that Nick was in, because of his baptism. Heath had never been a big fan of organized religion, and this only gave him more reasons why.

Just then he heard musical laughter floating into the room, as Nick's loud voice boomed. One thing about Nick being gone was that it had been a lot quieter at the ranch. Heath turned to look at the couple and saw two things right away. Catherine was indeed beautiful, and his brother was looking happier than he had in a very long time.

"Heath, good to see you! How is the leg?" Nick asked as he hugged his brother, before he introduced Catherine. He was watching closely to see how she behaved with his brother, for several reasons, all involving Hester. Nick stood very close to Catherine, with his hand on her back as he introduced her to Heath.

"Nicholas has told me so much about you, Heath. It is a pleasure to meet you." Catherine greeted him, noticing the resemblance to Audra right away. She was having a hard time focusing on Heath because of how close Nick was standing to her. His hand on her back was warm, and she instinctively moved closer to him, almost without realizing what she was doing.

Heath was watching the couple, and noticed how Nick was behaving with her, being very possessive. Heath sighed inwardly, wishing that the issue with Hester had not happened. He planned on being extremely formal with Nick's wife, even if she was that in name only. Heath didn't miss the way Catherine imperceptibly moved closer to his brother, which made him wonder about their relationship.

"Well I am also pleased to meet you, Catherine. How was the trip?" Heath smiled enough to be cordial, and decided to stick to non-personal conversations. He knew that Nick was going to be hyper-sensitive about how he and Catherine inter-acted with each other. Heath soon noticed that Catherine was not Hester, in any way, shape, or form. He studied her carefully, noticing how poised and aristocratic she was.

Nick had been cheered when Catherine welcomed his closeness to her, as he introduced his brother. It made him feel like they were untied, and had the trust between them that he had experienced before. He was struggling to understand his feelings and emotions around her, but liked how she subtlety seemed to support him. It also aroused all the physical desires he experienced when she was close to him. She smelled wonderful, and he had a sudden impulse to bury his head in her neck, to get a better whiff of what flower she smelled liked.

"I have to confess, I slept through the train trip, but Nicholas showed me how beautiful the valley is on our ride to the house." Katarina enthused, looking at her husband as she did so. Heath stifled a chuckle as he noticed that she had said nothing about Victoria and Jarrod being in the carriage. He observed that his brother almost preened himself at her comment. Heath knew that Nick was rather vain, and had no difficulty figuring out why his brother looked so pleased.

Victoria looked at the young woman, in her elaborate dress, and had to admire her fashion sense, even if it was too old for her. The jewelry was also a bit much, but at least it was amethysts, and not a more valuable stone. She also had to give Catherine credit for how she acted with Nick and Heath. In other circumstances she would have been content that her middle son was happy, but she was uncomfortable with the closeness Nick seemed to have with the Russian girl. Victoria hoped that over the course of the evening she would finally find out how old the girl really was.

"Oh, your dress is even more beautiful than the one you wore earlier! How did you do your hair?" Audra rushed up, looking very pretty in a blue plaid dress with a velvet collar. Her hair was gathered in the front, but loose down her back as she liked. She hated putting her hair up, with the painful hair pins, but looking at her sister-in-law now; Audra wondered if she shouldn't work harder at her appearance.

"You are so nice, Audra, thank you! Actually my maid Nina did my hair, but I'm sure she would show your maid how do to it." Catherine offered, in a matter of fact voice. In the world she came from, all women, from the age of twelve on had a lady's maid.

"I don't have a lady's maid; actually I've never needed one." Audra giggled, adding "Sometimes Rosa, one of the housemaids helps me if I'm going out. Maybe Nina could show her?" She was trying to figure out how a person could need a full-time maid that did nothing but take care of them. Audra looked at Catherine's clothes and hair again, then remembered that she was a princess, and decided maybe that was why she needed someone to help her out.

"Audra, you didn't even offer Catherine anything to drink before you threw yourself at her." Victoria interjected herself into the conversation. She could see that Audra was developing a case of hero worship for Nick's wife, which was understandable. However, she didn't want her daughter to get a bunch of fancy ideas from the spoiled aristocrat.

Catherine accepted a glass of sherry, and sat down to talk with Victoria and Audra, while Nick discussed ranch business with his brothers. She noticed that Victoria was not being as cool to her as before, which she hoped was a good sign. The conversation was mostly about clothes, and when Silas came in to announce dinner she was ready for a change of subject.

Nick walked over to her, and she stood up, taking his arm which caused her heart to race. Catherine hoped that no one noticed the effect he had on her. The dining room was lovely, with brocade and lace curtains, and a long polished wood table. Victoria sat at one end, and Jarrod at the other; she and Nicholas were opposite Audra and Heath.

Jarrod had been watching Catherine in the parlor, and had been pleased to see his Mother making conversation with her. He had also kept a close eye on the scene with Nick and Heath, noticing how his middle brother acted. Nick's possessive streak was going to be in high gear, Jarrod knew, and he hoped things stayed calm. It came to Jarrod that Hester, in the short time she'd been with them, had done more damage than he'd seen at the time.

"I hope you like steak!" Nick declared, as he held her chair out for her. She looked at the beautifully set table, highlighted by a silver epergne with grapes and flowers in the middle. Catherine was impressed with how nice it was, and she was sure it was of good quality too.

"What do you mean by steak?" She asked, as Silas started putting platters of food on the table. Catherine guessed that you were supposed to help yourself, instead of it being served to you like she was used to. Nick looked like she'd announced the end of the world, and tried to tell her what steak was. That caused great amusement at the table, so dinner started off on a high note.

"I understand now, it is beef, just served differently." Catherine stated, after everyone's explanation. It was apparent that America was going to be bigger adjustment than she'd thought. Nick watched as she took a bit of her steak, and was relieved when she pronounced it very good.

"Catherine, your English is excellent." Jarrod commented to her, halfway through the meal. They had been having a discussion about Jenny Lind, the great Swedish opera singer. The woman had been in San Francisco several months earlier, where the Barkleys had heard her. Catherine had seen her perform in Paris, so they had a lively discussion about music.

"Thank you, it probably helps that my mother was English. Plus, I was visiting my grandparents in British India before I was in Alaska." Catherine responded, as she took a bite of her steak, which she was enjoying.

"Why are your grandparents in India?" Heath inquired, and everyone else looked interested too. India was seen as far away and very exotic to the rest of the world. Jarrod was especially intrigued, and decided he would have to talk to Catherine about her experiences there.

"My grandfather works for Her Majesty's government." Catherine explained, privately thinking it was somewhat true; she went on "It is an amazing country, and the English are doing so much to improve it." In truth she had been appalled at the poverty and dirt, which was worse than anything she'd seen in Russia. She had seen how the English had already cleaned up so many areas.

"So it doesn't bother you that one country is imposing its culture and beliefs on another? Or using it to expand their power?" Heath was put off by her casual assumption that one nation should rule another. He didn't like the implication of superiority it contained, and was sure that the native population was getting the short end of the stick. The rest of the table were surprised that he was challenging her like that.

"Why shouldn't the European countries share their knowledge with lesser countries, and help them out? These countries are backward, and their people suffer because of it. In India, because of the British implanting decent health care, infant deaths have decreased dramatically." Catherine knew that because her Grandmother had made it her pet cause.

Nick decided to change the conversation, knowing that it would be a no-win situation considering his brother's views. He agreed with most of them, but also realized that Katarina, whose uncle represented the Tsar, would see European empire building in a different light. However, his mother changed the subject before he could.

"Catherine, you said your mother was English; she has passed?" Victoria did not want a discussion of world politics at the dinner table, and was also hoping to find out how old the girl was. She had enjoyed the discussion they'd had about the opera singer, and could tell that the girl was well educated and cultured. Jarrod and Audra were glad to have the conversation diverted too, before an argument started.

"Both of my parents died when I was young. My father was killed in the Crimean War, and then my mother died a year later in a cholera outbreak in our village. I've been raised by my aunt and uncle most of my life." Katarina explained without any emotion, having never known her parents.

Victoria was busy trying to remember the dates of the Crimean War, hoping to place Catherine's age. She thought the war was 1856 to 1860, or maybe 1861, thinking about the war in America that started that year. Victoria couldn't get any closer than the girl could be as old as 21, or as young as 16. She knew it would be impolite to come right out and ask, but was all set to try a different tact when someone else spoke up.

"If I recall the Crimean War was fought between the Russians and the English. Didn't that make things tense for your family?" Heath knew why the conversation had been changed, much to his chagrin; he had wanted to hear how she justified a colonial lifestyle. When she had mentioned the Crimean War, and her mother's country of origin, he thought about the book of Tennyson's poems he was reading. There had been one about a battle from that war.

Nick was starting to get annoyed with Heath and his choices of conversation to have with Katarina. He was sure that it must have been unpleasant for her mother, and she probably did not want to discuss it. He looked across the table at Heath, but couldn't catch his eye.

"I was always told that my parents loved each other very much, even though the marriage was not favored by either family. My Russian grandfather had been Ambassador to England when they met, and at that time the countries were not at war. They had in fact been allies against Napoleon earlier in the century." Katarina replied in her lilting accent. She had felt Nick tense up as Heath spoke, and knew he hadn't liked his brother's choice of conversation. It touched her that Nick was concerned about her feelings, and she thought again what a good person he was.

"Nicholas, you promised to tell me the history of this house; when was it built?" Katarina turned to her husband, and smiled at him as she introduced a new subject of conversation. Nick understood what she was doing and gave her a conspiratorial smile back as he started talking about the house. The other members at the table, with the exception of Heath interjected comments too.

Heath found the conversation about the house interesting, but was mostly watching Nick and Catherine. He saw that she was very attentive to his brother, while he was very protective of her, but it all seemed to happen without spoken conversation. He pushed that thought out of his mind, focusing on a funny story Victoria was telling about building the house.

After dinner they went into the library, as was the custom. Jarrod thought about lighting a cigar, but hesitated because of Catherine. Victoria had always allowed smoking in the library, but nowhere else, while he knew that in a lot of households men did not smoke in front of the ladies. Victoria didn't like missing any of the conversation, so she didn't have that rule in her house.

Jarrod was concerned because Catherine probably did come from a household with that rule. He then saw Nick lighting a cigar, and sitting down next to his wife, who didn't bat an eyelash. Jarrod took it as a sign that he could smoke too, and lit up quite happily. An after dinner cigar was one of the best things in the world, in his mind, and he was glad he didn't have to forego the pleasure of it.

Nick had seen his brother hesitating about getting a cigar, and liked the fact that Jarrod cared about Katarina's feelings. Nick in fact had been pleased when, after their first dinner together on the ship, Katarina had told him that it didn't bother her if he smoked. She said that everyone in Russia smoked, so she was used to it.

The discussion after dinner was mostly about political happenings in America, and Katarina paid attention, trying to sort out what was being said. She reasoned that if she was going to be living in America for awhile, she should know something about the country. It was about another half hour, and then Nick announced he was going upstairs. She took it as her signal to go also, being very tired by now anyway. In her opinion the evening had gone better than she expected, other than Heath and his odd choice of topics.

"Listen, just because I retire early doesn't mean that you have to, Katarina. I'm up at the crack of dawn, because of the ranch." Nick told her when they arrived upstairs, outside of the door to her room. He felt bad taking her away from the conversation, knowing that the other members of his family stayed up much later.

"Nicholas, I am tired too, and don't want to stay down without you. Plus, this way they can have a good gossip about me." Katarina flashed her dimple, and it made Nick want to laugh. He didn't want to admit it, but he was secretly glad that she had not wanted to stay downstairs alone.

"Oh, I don't think they'd do that!" Nick told her, giving her a wink, being pretty sure that is what they were doing. He was planning on talking to Heath tomorrow though, about his dinner conversation. Katarina should not have to defend the British Empire as she ate her meal. He also hoped that Jarrod was looking out for Katarina too.

"Listen, we go to church on Sunday, which is tomorrow. It is a protestant church, but you would be welcome." Nick had remembered about church as he had thought about talking to Heath. He wondered now if she would want to go or not. There weren't any Orthodox churches in the area, and knew that the Catholic churches were very rigid about their religion.

"I would like to go with you, of course. What time?" Katarina asked, and he gave her all the details. Before he said good night, he pointed out which door was his, in case of an emergency. He hoped that she knew that he wasn't trying anything else with her as he said it. She nodded her head, and then they said good night. Nick had squeezed her hand, stifling the impulse he had to take her in his arms and kiss her. He could see the Russian Bishop in his mind, talking about no physical relations. He was starting to see that if these urges kept up, it was going to be a long six months.

"Heath, that was uncalled for, what you said to Catherine at dinner." Downstairs Catherine was being discussed, as she and Nick had figured. Jarrod was taking Heath to task about his comments, and Heath didn't like it.

"I am not going to hold my opinions back just because they don't agree with hers, Jarrod. You can see how sheltered she is, and doesn't care about anything as long as her life is comfortable." Heath declared, not having liked the satisfied tone that Catherine's voice had taken on, when she talked about the British improving India.

"Heath, I agree with you that she is sheltered, but she has been to India, and you have not, correct?" Victoria demanded, and Heath had to agree that she did have a valid point. Victoria had been impressed that Catherine was aware of social issues. He conceded that, and decided to go to bed, but was stopped by her next question.

"How old do you think she is? I couldn't remember the exact dates for the Crimean war?" Victoria asked, knowing that her youngest son was very good at reading people. Jarrod sighed audibly, and poured himself another drink. Heath looked at his mother, knowing why she was asking.

"Mother thinks Catherine is too young to be married, Heath." Audra explained, not understanding why her mother was so bothered by it. She had been dazzled by her sister-in-law's clothes, hair, and poise, and had not given her age any thought.

Heath had heard Jarrod sigh, and remembering his mother's earlier comments, about the girl's age knew this was slippery ground. He decided to be safe, and not say what he was thinking.

"I really couldn't tell mother, and honestly, does it matter? It won't change anything about the marriage, and I don't think Nick will care how old she is." Heath offered up, believing every word he said. It was clear that his brother was smitten with the pretty girl, and they seemed to get along very well together. Heath thought his mother should be more afraid of how it all might work out, and not so worried about how old Catherine was.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note: This is a long chapter, but there wasn't a good place to break it up. **_

_**Sunday**_

Katarina left her room a little before the appointed time that Nicholas had said they needed to leave for Church. He had also told her what time breakfast was served, but she had decided to have Nina bring her a tray in her room. Katarina wasn't sure his family wanted to see her at every meal, while she preferred slow, calm mornings. Whatever else the Barkley's were, slow and calm didn't describe them.

When she came downstairs she could see Jarrod and Victoria, but no Heath or Audra in the front hall. Katarina didn't see Nicholas either, which bothered her. Up to now she had always faced his family with him there, but decided that she couldn't expect him to hang around her all day. He was very busy with his land, and she understood that. Katarina was glad that Jarrod was there though, because so far he had been kind and welcoming to her.

"Good morning Catherine." Victoria turned, surprised to see the girl coming down the stairs. Jarrod smiled at his new sister-in-law admiring how nice she looked. The peach jacket and bustled back skirt offset the cream colored blouse with its elaborate ruffles. Her hat was cream and decorated with peach colored rosebuds, while she wore a multi-strand necklace of beautiful pearls that matched the pearl drop earrings framing her face. He noticed that she had a pair of fine brown leather gloves in her hand, as well as what looked like an old prayer book.

"I didn't realize you would be joining us for church." Victoria inquired in a cool tone, having not thought the girl would want to go to their church. Jarrod sighed, wishing that his mother sounded more welcoming.

"Good morning, yes I am. I have already said my Russian prayers, and am used to going to Anglican services from when I was in India. Actually, one of my uncles in England is a Vicar." Catherine replied pleasantly, as she entered the front hall. She didn't want Victoria to think she didn't know how to behave in a protestant church.

"Well I can tell you that you will be of way more interest than Reverend Thompson's sermon. May I say that you look lovely?" Jarrod informed her, feeling bad for the Reverend having to compete with Catherine.

Nick had been out at the stables ordering the carriage, and came into the house through the back, by way of the kitchen. He was standing so that he could see into the front hall, but could not be seen by anyone there. He heard his mother, and ground his teeth as a tight expression settled on his face. Thinking back to the carriage ride yesterday, Nick decided on a different plan for today.

Silas had been standing next to him; when he heard the same thing that Mr. Nick had, it made him want to shake his head. He watched the young man get that 'look' on his face, and Silas knew that it meant that Mr. Nick was mad. In his opinion, someone needed to talk to Miz Barkley, before Mr. Nick lost his temper. Silas knew that the older woman was good at heart, and thought she was only looking out for her family's best interest. Her methods though left something to be desired.

In the front hall Audra came hurrying down the stairs. She felt bad that she was running late, but had been trying to put her hair up, like Catherine wore hers. It hadn't gone well, and then she found a spot on the dress she was going to wear, so she had changed her clothes. Audra looked at Catherine now, with her hair perfectly arranged, and her peach outfit, and felt like she wanted to go back upstairs. Her blue skirt and jacket seemed tired and limp, compared to the crispness of her sister-in-law's ensemble. It came to her, when she looked at what the other woman was holding that she'd forgotten her gloves also.

"Good morning Audra, I like that shade of blue on you." Katarina greeted her, glad to see the young woman. She had noticed that Audra seemed rushed and wondered if she had overslept.

"Audra, where are your gloves?" Victoria looked at her daughter, admiring how pretty she was, but not sure why her hair was so badly done. The gloves bothered her, because Audra knew that a lady always went out with a pair.

"Hello everyone! Thank you Catherine, you look so pretty! I was rushing and forgot them, let me go get them." Audra felt like a scattered brain child by now, and could only imagine what Catherine thought of her. She hurried back up the stairs, hoping she could find a pair of gloves in the mess that was her closet. Audra had been meaning to straighten it up, but always found something else to do.

Katarina watched Audra rush up the stairs, hoping that she would hurry back down. The carriage ride would be more bearable with the young girl along. She was also wondering where Heath, but wasn't going to ask. Considering his choice of topics last night, it might be better if he wasn't in the carriage.

"Dona Catherine?" A male voice with a Latin sounding accent came from the back of the house, and she turned to see Pedro, one of the house servants. Katarina had been trying to figure out who was who among the staff, and knew that Pedro assisted Silas, as well as running errands.

The Barkley household reminded her more of an English one, with fewer servants than what she'd grown up with in Russia, or seen in India. Her uncle Sergey had always been annoyed at how many servants they had in the houses, but nothing ever seemed to get accomplished.

Pedro, along with the other Hispanic servants had not been sure how to address Senora Nick's new wife. It was known that she had a title, but wasn't using it, which left them puzzled. All the Spanish grandees they had ever worked for, if they had a title they used it heavily. Tia Carmen, the great-aunt of Flora, the senior housemaid, did point out that the princess was Russian, and they nodded their heads. Russians were known for unusual behavior.

The matter of what to call the princess was settled by use of the honorific of 'Dona' which was reserved for the Spanish nobility. Miguel, the senior ranch foreman had pointed out that the girl's uncle was the representative of the autocratic Tsar of all Russia, so she must come from a grand family. They had heard the story of the arranged marriage and the land grant, it being greeted with approval.

In the Latin culture it was the duty of the man of the house to secure good marriages for the daughters, which this governor-general prince had done. Senor Nick was admired for marrying such a well bred girl who brought land with her, to enrich her husband's family. Senor Nick's wild behavior had never been held against him, because he was 'macho' and acted like a young man was expected to, in their eyes.

Nina had explained it all to Katarina as she was getting dressed that morning. Her maid was having no trouble integrating into the household, and liked how Silas, and the Hispanic staff all understood what the position of 'lady's maid' meant. Katarina for her part wondered if Nicholas' wild behavior was like what the young Russian and English officers engaged in.

"Dona Catherine, Senor Nick wanted me to ask you to wait for him. He is bringing the two-seater carriage around, so you can drive with him." Pedro bowed as he said it, and saw Dona Catherine smile as she said thanks. He thought she looked like the angel that perched on top of the Christmas tree.

"You're not going to ride with us, Catherine? I was hoping you would be." Audra was just coming downstairs and heard what Pedro had to say. Victoria was not fond of the servants bowing to Catherine, but knew that she wouldn't be able to stop it now. She had always thought it funny that servants were the biggest snobs, in dealing with other people.

"Audra, I bet Nick wants to show Catherine around after church." Jarrod informed her, privately giving Nick high points for his wanting to take his wife by herself. He'd seen how Catherine was looking around yesterday, as they drove up to the ranch. Jarrod looked at his mother and sister-in-law now, both looking relived for different reasons.

"Are you ready?" Nick's voice boomed into the hall, as he strode through the doorway with a big smile on his face. Jarrod saw that smile get even bigger when he looked at Catherine, and once again found himself envious of his brother.

"You look like spring time, Katarina!" Nick walked up to her, ignoring everyone else. Victoria watched her middle son with apprehension as he talked to the Russian girl. He fell in love so easy, she thought, but it had never worked out before, and she didn't think it was going to work out this time either.

"Good morning Nicholas. Thank you for saying that." Katarina suddenly felt a lot happier now that he was here, but wished those butterflies would go away. She looked at him, tall and handsome, smiling at her with that infectious grin; suddenly she was glad it would be just the two of them in the carriage.

Katarina had lain awake for a while, thinking about Nicholas, and everything that had happened. She still felt bad at what she'd done to his life, and how he was saddled with her for the next six months. It was made worse because his family had to put up with her also. Now, as he escorted her out to the carriage, she was wondering if maybe she should not have come to church. Victoria had certainly not seemed pleased with the idea of her attending the service.

"I hope you don't mind going like this, but I thought that after church we could see more of the ranch if you would like." Nick informed Katarina, as he helped her into the carriage. He looked at her again, thinking how beautiful she was, and how the peach outfit made her skin almost glow. The blue eyes looked worried, so he was hoping he had done the right thing. Nick wasn't sure what to do about his mother, but held on to his hope that she would come around.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Nicholas. Maybe on the ride in you can tell me about your church, and the Vicar?" Katarina felt his warmth as he sat down to take the reins. It was so good to have him next to her that she looked up at him with joy. Nick noticed how happy she looked now, which made him want to hug her; instead he focused on the horses, as he told her some stories about Reverend Thompson.

"Mother, you didn't sound very welcoming to Catherine when she came down the stairs. You should be pleased that she is making the effort, and that she wants to go to church." Jarrod remonstrated to his mother, and they rode in the other carriage. He was sure that if Catherine had not come, his mother would've made a comment about that too. Audra had a quizzical look on her face, wondering what this was about, but decided to keep quiet.

"Jarrod, I don't have a problem about church, the issue is the lunch afterwards that Eleanor Wilson is giving. I've now put her in the spot that either she invites Catherine along, or Nick doesn't go. Either way, it throws off the table arrangement!" Victoria was not close to Eleanor, but the woman's husband Phillip controlled most of the river commerce in the area.

"Eleanor Wilson is the biggest social climber in the area, mother. She is going to be so thrilled about having Catherine at her house, and being the first one in the valley to entertain her, that she will be your new best friend. Don't be surprised if she already knows that Nick is married, and has redone the table arrangements." Jarrod told his mother, relived that his mother's issue had been the luncheon. He reflected though that Catherine didn't know that, and wondered what she'd thought of the comment.

"I'm looking forward to seeing Sarah, it's been a while." Audra was talking about Eleanor's daughter, and her best friend. They had been inseparable growing up, but Sarah was now married with a baby. Audra was also sorry that Catherine wasn't along in the carriage, so she could get a closer look at her hair, to figure out how it was done.

They arrived at the church, and walked in, quietly greeting people they knew. It was after they were seated, having saved two places for Nick and Catherine, that Victoria wondered to Jarrod where they were.

"If I know my brother, with a pretty girl on his arm, he is going to want to make an entrance. Watch, he'll get here just before poor Reverend Thompson does." Jarrod held back a chuckle, thinking about Nick with Catherine in the hotel dining room.

"Why do you feel bad for the Reverend?" Audra asked Soto voice. She was trying to discretely look around the church, for her friend Sarah. She saw her, along with her husband and parents, but not the baby. Audra looked at her friend, and saw that her hair was put up similar to Catherine's, and she had the same poised look that the Russian girl wore. For some reason it made Audra feel depressed.

"All that anyone is going to be thinking about, or looking at, is Catherine this morning. Didn't you see how everyone scrutinized us as we arrived? They were wondering where she was." Jarrod knew the grapevine all too well, and had used it in the past to help some of his clients. As he was saying that, he heard a rustle from the back, and was tempted to announce 'it's showtime'.

Katarina had enjoyed the drive over with Nicholas, and when they arrived at the church, he helped her out, putting his hands on her small waist as he did so. It meant that she ended up standing very close to him, which completely scrambled her thoughts, while her heart felt like it was in her throat. When they walked into the church she knew that every eye was trained on her, which made her want to laugh. After the Russian court, and Viceroy House this was amateur theatricals in her book.

News of her arrival had gone like wildfire through the town, and the tale of the marriage was right behind it. A number of Stockton business people had heard the story from associates in San Francisco, which only made it all the more exciting. More than one person was surprised that Nick Barkley, better known for being stubborn with a short fuse, had actually done something socially appropriate. Of course they knew what the land grant was worth, but Nick was not a man to be swayed by money.

As they looked at Catherine now though, with her beauty and fine clothes, they had no problem figuring out how the 'wild' Barkley son had been brought to heel so easily. Several women looked in disappointment at Catherine, either having been interested in Nick for themselves, or in the case of the older women, their daughters. They also wondered what Victoria Barkley thought of the marriage and the bride too.

Nick had never enjoyed attending church so much, as with Katarina in his arm, he decided. He knew that everyone was watching them, and the men all thought he was one lucky bastard. When he had lifted her down from the carriage he had caught just a whiff of the floral scent she wore, and he wondered what flower it was. Nick observed, to himself, that Catherine seemed total immune to the attention she was getting, just like at the restaurant yesterday morning. He liked the fact that she was more interested in him, than anyone else.

Victoria was dreading after the service, almost wishing that she'd stayed at home, as she was aware of what the congregation was doing. She did give Catherine credit for how she walked down the aisle, with complete aplomb, not even noticing all the attention she was getting. The older woman decided that if nothing else the Russian girl had been well brought up, and knew how to behave in public. Victoria also did not miss how much Nick was enjoying the attention they were getting.

During the sermon Nick put his arm around Katarina without a second thought, and felt her move a little closer to him. He had noticed how comfortable she was with him, and he wondered if it was because of their two weeks on the boat together. It was a nice feeling to have that connection, if only it didn't open up other troublesome avenues. He thought about removing his arm, and then mentally shrugged, deciding to enjoy the moment.

Katarina had felt Nicholas' arm at her back, and her body moved next to his before her brain even registered what it was doing. She had been trying to listen to the sermon, which was better than any she'd heard at the church in India. Having Nick right next to her, their bodies touching generated a combination of butterflies, heart racing, and weak knees. Katarina was glad that she was sitting down, but sorry that her corset was laced so tight.

Victoria finally found out how old Catherine was, after the service, and it only made her feel a little better about the marriage. They were standing in the church yard, as Nick introduced his bride to everyone. Jarrod noticed that Nick was being as possessive with Catherine this morning, as he'd been last night. It was interesting, in Jarrod's mind, that his sister-in-law didn't seem to mind how Nick was with her; rather she smiled at him with contentment.

"Mrs. Barkley?" Reverend Thompson came up, and both Victoria and Catherine turned to look at him. Several people watching thought it rather amusing that the great matriarch wasn't the only Mrs. Barkley anymore. The Reverend indicated that he meant the younger woman, who he looked at with pleasure. He had been very concerned about Nick, and would have agreed with Bishop Krill that the young man had been very lonely lately.

"I wanted to get your full name, birthplace, and date for our records, since you are now a member of the congregation." Reverend Thompson was there, along with Mrs. Hull, the church secretary who was holding large leather bound book. Victoria tried not to look too interested, as she waited for Catherine to answer Andrew Thompson's questions.

"Yes, of course Reverend Thompson. My full name is Catherine Elizabeth. Please call me Catherine." Katarina started to say, when the prelate said "Two great Russian women, if I may say." She laughed in her musical laugh, and Nick gave her a fond look, which was not missed by anyone watching.

"Catherine Elizabeth, I was born, let me see, I need to work out the date." She stopped, as she counted on her gloved fingers before she continued on "It was February 23rd in Russia, so it would have been March 8th everywhere else." She noticed the puzzled looks the Reverend and the secretary, as well as several other people gave her, but Jarrod saved her explaining.

"In Russia they still the Julian calendar, which is about thirteen days behind the Gregorian one, which we use." Jarrod told the Reverend, thinking about all the paperwork that Nick had brought back from Alaska. His brother had practically been thrown at him with the comment 'I hope you are happy now', before he stomped off. The clergyman thanked Jarrod for the explanation, and then waited for the young Mrs. Barkley to finish.

"I was born at my family's main estate of Bulovnir, in the Tambov province, southeast of Moscow." Catherine told the secretary, and then spelled out the names of the places. Victoria only wanted to know what year, while the people who were close enough to hear were impressed with the words_ main estate._

"Mrs. Barkley, what year?" Mrs. Hull asked, and Victoria could have kissed the woman in gratitude.

"Oh yes, of course, 1859." Victoria was not the only one who was doing a quick mental calculation, to realize that Catherine was just three weeks passed her eighteenth birthday. For Victoria, it wasn't as bad as she'd feared, but the girl was still too young in her books to even be out in society. However, there were people who were having a fine chuckle over the fact.

Victoria was well known for her beliefs about young women, and arranged marriages. She had deplored to several of the women standing around, the fact that they had all introduced their girls to society as soon as they were eighteen. She had been proud of the fact that she waited with Audra, and had made known that she wouldn't force her into an arranged marriage.

They thought it a good joke that Nick had married, by arrangement, a girl who went against Victoria's principles. A number of people felt bad for Audra, especially since the girl was now twenty and not married, which they blamed on Victoria.

"Happy Belated Birthday, Catherine." Audra announced, and everyone smiled, even if Victoria's was rather tight. It occurred to Nick that her birthday had been just before he had arrived, and he wondered if he should do something for her. Nick wished he could at least fix the mess he'd made of her life, if nothing else. He was also surprised that she was only eighteen, because in his mind she seemed a lot more mature than that.

"Catherine, Nick's birthday is April 8th, in case you didn't know. We already had a party planned for it, but I think we will make it a party to celebrate your marriage too!" Jarrod announced loudly, and Victoria flashed him a disturbed look, but he ignored it. He was tired of his mother and her attitude, and he knew they had to do some kind of a party for Nick's marriage. Since the birthday party was all planned, it made sense to roll it all together.

"Jarrod that is a wonderful idea! Catherine, would you like that?" Victoria smiled at the young woman, wondering if she would want all the fuss. She watched as Catherine looked at Nick, who smiled happily at the thought.

"Considering that I was lucky enough to get my present early, the party sounds like it will be lots of fun!" Nick declared with pleasure, as he looked over at Katarina, who was turning very pink. He didn't know why at first, and then realized how his words had sounded, with the double meaning. Nick had just wanted her to know how much he liked her company. By now he was sure that she must hate him, for embarrassing her like that.

Jarrod was trying to keep from laughing, as he watched Nick and Catherine. His brother was good at sticking his large foot in his big mouth, but in this case it was just going to confirm everyone's impression of the marriage. Catherine looked like a proper, young, blushing bride with an adoring husband, and while she didn't know it she was greatly envied. Her mother-in-law cringed and hoped that Nick really didn't mean what it sounded like he meant.

"Victoria, you must introduce me to your beautiful daughter-in-law; have you told her about lunch?" An older woman, with graying hair came over, taking the focus off of Katarina, for which she was grateful. She looked at Nick, who looked sheepishly at her, feeling bad for what he'd said. Katarina realized he didn't mean to say what he had, and she gave him a rueful smile. Unfortunately they were so busy looking at each other that it took them a minute to realize that they were being talking to.

"Honestly, newlyweds!" Mrs. Wilson announced, to some giggles from the people around them, while Nick was ready to take Katarina and leave before he said anything else. Introductions were made, and Katarina found out about the lunch. Nick had forgotten about it, and was all set to decline when he realized that Mrs. Wilson had already decided they would attend. He sighed, and then figured that Katarina might enjoy meeting some people.

"This is my daughter, Sarah Holcomb, and her husband Charles." Mrs. Wilson was introducing a young woman with brown hair, and green eyes, along with her husband, a young man with fair hair, and a polite expression. Katarina thought she looked really nice, and gladly said hello. She could tell that Nick knew the young man, by how he greeted him. Audra had been standing a little to the side in the group, watching all the attention that Catherine was getting. She had felt bad for her sister-in-law when Nick had said what he'd had, but noticed that she didn't get mad at him.

When Sarah and Charles had come up Audra had been all set to say hello, but Mrs. Wilson introduced Sarah to Catherine first. She watched as her best friend chatted to her sister-in-law, and then was cheered when Sarah looked over at her, to include her in the conversation. Sarah was glad to see her, and they all had a good visit.

The lunch went well, and Katarina met several nice women her own age that she was looking forward to getting to know better. Their husbands all did business with the Barkley's in some way, and were friends with Jarrod, Nick, and Heath. Victoria gave her high points for how well she handled the questions that were lobbed at her, especially when the ladies were by themselves, while the men had cigars in the library. The phrase '_minimum amount of information, with maximum amount of politeness'_ came to mind as she watched Catherine deal with the nosy parkers.

"Well, you look to still be in one piece, so I guess the vipers weren't too bad!" Nick gave her one of his grins as they were driving away from the Wilson's ornate town home. He had been concerned when she'd left the table with the other ladies, but she had flashed her dimple at him, which made him feel better about how she would fare. He had been congratulated, and received some good natured teasing, once the ladies left, and then the men had talked business while they smoked their cigars.

"It was, let me think of the expression – a piece of dessert?" Katarina replied, being glad to be with him, and away from the hothouse atmosphere. Honestly, she thought, those women were as bad as the ones in British India.

"The phrase is 'piece of cake' as in, it was easy?" Nick queried, as she snuggled next to him, which made him happier than it should have. He still felt bad about his remark, and also bad about how he had enjoyed the teasing from the other men. Nick was starting to realize that there was a part of him that wanted Katarina to be his bride, in the full meaning of the word. She was beautiful, kind, and really seemed to like him, but he figured that was probably just because he had saved her from the Tsar's arranged marriage.

"I just thought about how my Grandmother Harriet would've handled them. The society in British India is very gossipy, but my grandmother is a proud person, who is very good at shutting that kind of thing down." Katarina responded in a satisfied tone, as she thought about how the lunch had gone.

"Would this be the same grandmother who kicked you out of India?" Nick enquired, as he remembered what she had told him on the ship.

"Yes, it would be. She is a total bitch, but knows how to handle society." Katarina explained in a matter of fact tone, but Nick burst out laughing.

"It's too bad you didn't do some of the cursing you do so well, for the ladies. That would've given them something to talk about." He roared, as he imagined Eleanor Wilson's face in that scenario. Nick admired Katarina even more now, after that remark. That made him think of something else, he realized he needed to try to make amends.

"Katarina, I want to explain about the remark I made after church, the one that." Nick paused, not sure how to phrase it, before he continued on "What I was trying to say is that I've really been enjoying your company. I mean, you are so nice, and I like spending time with you." He stopped, not knowing what he was trying to say.

"Nicholas, I think there is a saying_ if you've dug yourself into a hole, stop digging before it falls on you_? I think you are there." Katarina observed in a cool tone, as she looked out the side of the carriage. She had in fact been shocked that Nicholas would say something like that in public, knowing how people would take it. Hearing him trying to explain it now intrigued her, especially his comment that he liked spending time with her.

Nick watched her looking out the side of the carriage, and decided that she was right, he should just drop it. Instead he asked her about the estate she'd been born on, and what Russia was like. He found out that on the main estate they mostly grew grain crops, while at the one in the Crimea they grew citrus crops, along with wine grapes. Nick spent the next hour taking her around the groves, and was impressed with her questions. He saw that she knew a good amount about growing techniques, and understood what he explained to her.

After the citrus groves they went over to the area with the grapes, stopping at a one story adobe building, with a tiled roof. He explained that this was the blending house, as well as the workshop for the vine master. Katarina knew what a vine master did, and asked Nicholas about what solutions he used on the vines.

"! #$% what is this still doing here?" Nick let out a stream of curse words as they walked into the office. Katarina looked around, noticing the dust, and she wondered if Nicholas was upset about how dirty the place was. When he stopped cursing she asked him, but he shook his head.

"Our vine master quit on us, to go pan for gold in the Yukon! He left his note book, but it is written in Latin, so no one can read it. I had asked Jarrod to stop by and pick it up, to translate; he knows Latin." Nick fumed, realizing that they were going to fall behind on treating the grapes now.

"Nicholas, I read Latin. Would you like me to translate it for you? I'm sure Jarrod has been really busy." Katarina offered, both wanting to help, and glad to have something to do. Nick looked at her with relief, but wondered how much Latin she really knew. He had never met a female before who knew the language, and Jarrod had told him that it was complicated and difficult.

"Trust me; I do know the language well. I told you that Russian girls are very well educated! Would you let me try?" Katarina had seen what he was hesitating about, and wanted to reassure him. She knew that most girls were not educated the way she had been. Nick smiled at her, as he remembered their first conversation several weeks earlier.

"Katarina, I remember that you said you knew five languages, so if you want to try I would be eternally grateful." Nick told her, as he passed her the book. He thought about the questions she'd asked in the citrus groves, and decided she must know something about science also. At the back of his mind he was feeling overwhelmed by her, not only being so good looking, but also being sharp and smart. It made him feel out of his league almost, but then she flashed her dimple at him.

"Well I think it is the least I could do, to repay you for what you did for me Nicholas! I don't think I've said thank you before, but I need to. You have been so good to me, and made me feel welcome; I appreciate it." Katarina looked at him with gratitude, and Nick had to almost restrain himself from putting his arms around her and kissing her. Instead he looked at her with awe, amazed that she was looking at him like she was, when he had turned all of her plans upside down.

"We should probably be getting back to the ranch, so you have some time before dinner." Nick replied, feeling uncomfortable about how she was making him feel. He wished he could have met her under other circumstances, and courted her like he would like to. However, the warning from the Russian Bishop rang loud in his head, and he knew that if he wasn't careful, she would never get to England.

Nick dropped her off at the house, and then went around to the stable. He wasn't ready to have her around the ranch hands yet, until he'd put his plan into place. She would want to ride, he knew, but he would not always be available to accompany her. Nick hoped that she would understand what he was going to do.

Arriving at the barn, he put the horses away, and was all set to go change when he saw Heath. Thinking about dinner last night, and how Heath had challenged Katarina, he hailed his brother. Heath was talking with two of the ranch hands, and Nick joined them. The discussion was a sprain that one of the horses had taken, and how it would affect the shifts the next day.

After the hands left Nick faced Heath head on, who sighed. He had been expecting his brother to say something to him, and just wanted to get it over with. In spite of his bravado last night, in telling his mother and Jarrod that he wasn't going to hold his opinions back, in the light of day he knew he would have to. Nick had already shown how protective he was of the Russian girl, and he really didn't want to get his brother worked up. His temper had been good the last day or so, and Heath had enjoyed the respite.

"Heath, I need to talk to you about last night. I understand how you feel about empires, and royalty, which I sympathize with. However, it isn't Katarina's fault that she is from where she is. Please remember that we have messed up her life enough, and she should be able to eat in peace." Nick stated firmly to his blonde haired brother, who looked at him bewilderment.

"What do you mean;_ we_ have messed up her life?" Heath was trying to figure out what Nick thought he had done to the young woman.

"If it wasn't for the problem with my baptism she would be on her way to England, not stuck here. The least I can do for her is make her as happy as possible while she is with us, ok?" Nick explained to his brother, before he stalked away. He hoped that Heath understood the situation; he huffed, not stopping to look back.

If he had, he would have seen his brother staring at him, open mouth, as he pondered what Nick had just told him. Nick felt guilty about what had happened to Catherine, he saw, which concerned him. He knew that underneath Nick's tough exterior, he was really sensitive, and something of a romantic.

The man was already smitten with the Russian girl, and now she had brought out his protective streak too. He had also not been aware, until last night, that the memory of Hester and her behavior still lingered. Heath started to worry about what was going to happen with Nick and Catherine, as well as the rest of the family.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Out and About**_

Nick came into breakfast, after having been out on the west range from sunrise onwards. He strode into room, announcing good morning loudly, while looking to where Katarina should be sitting. Nick was excited to see her, and wanted to ask her about riding later. However, her place was empty and he looked concerned, as he asked where she was.

"Nick, she hasn't come down for breakfast yet. I know she didn't come down yesterday either. Maybe she doesn't eat breakfast." Victoria responded, and saw that Nick didn't look happy about that. She privately thought that Catherine might just like some privacy, and time on her own.

Nick for his part was wondering if everything was all right. He'd thought that dinner had gone well last night, and had been pleased to see that Heath had taken their conversation to heart. Katarina had looked very pretty in a blue dress with green trim, and they had discussed the lunch in town, as well as Reverend Thompson's sermon. She had asked several detailed questions about the order of the service, which he knew had impressed his mother.

"She is probably sleeping in, Nick! Think about all the traveling she's done, and then all the activities yesterday too. Her maid would have said something if she wasn't feeling well I would think." Audra had seen that Nick was all set to go banging upstairs, and if Catherine was asleep it would just wake her up. She knew that Nick meant well, but there were times it was like having a roaring bull in a china shop when he was around.

"Nick, sit down and eat your breakfast. If she hasn't come down by the time you are done, why don't you _quietly_ go check on her?" Jarrod offered up, thinking that Audra was probably right about Catherine. He had felt the need to emphasize the word quietly, knowing Nick very well. Jarrod also found it interesting how concerned Nick was about Catherine. Heath kept on eating, not wanting to add anything to the discussion.

Heath had been proud of his choice of topics last night, and he knew that Nick was very happy about the evening. Of course, Nick had been happy ever since he'd brought Catherine home. Listening to his brother now, bothered because she wasn't around he realized he had been wrong yesterday, about Nick's feelings about the girl. Nick was way past smitten, and totally in love, but he didn't know it yet. Heath wished this was a drama at the playhouse, and not his family, so he could actually enjoy it.

Victoria kept silent, but thought that she really didn't want Nick in Catherine's bedroom, especially after his comment about his early birthday gift. After the couple had left the luncheon several of her friends had talked excitedly of how wonderful grandchildren were. In other circumstances she would have welcomed Catherine, being aware of how lonely Nick had been.

Of all of her children, Victoria knew that Nick was the one who would be the most happiest in a relationship. Her middle son was affectionate, and patriarchal in nature. She was also aware of the emptiness that Hester had left with Nick. Victoria had felt especially bad for him at Christmas, when it was very apparent what was going on. However, Catherine was too young, too aristocratic, and when all was said and done, the couple had nothing in common. The Russian girl knew nothing about country life, only palaces and city life. Victoria thought about what she'd seen, when she had visited St. Petersburg, and how cosmopolitan it was. She had been pleased that so far Catherine had not shown any of the arrogant, cruel behavior that had been so apparent in the city.

After breakfast Nick headed upstairs, and walked down the hallway to Katarina's room. He knocked softly on the door, which was opened by Nina. She smiled at him, bade him good morning, and then excused herself, glancing over at Katarina first. Nick saw Katarina nod her head, and smile at him which made him feel better.

Katarina was sitting on the love seat in a pale pink silk robe ornamented with cream colored lace panels. Her hair was loosely braided, hanging down her back and tied with a pink ribbon. She looked fresh, and adorable, like a pink and white tea cake. Nick took it all in, and felt a wave of warmth and happiness wash over him, knowing that he was the only man who would see her in this state.

"Nicholas, good morning! How are you doing?" Katarina greeted him with pleasure, as he walked into the room, shutting the door behind him. Nick was glad to see that she was feeling well, and looking good. He glanced around the room and saw on the desk, in the corner, the journal opened up, as well as another book that resembled a dictionary.

As Nick surveyed the room he saw a narrow table, placed against the side wall, which had an elaborate jeweled triptych of something religious in nature, flanked by some candles and a small vase of flowers. The three part item, in artistic style, reminded him of what he'd seen in the Russian cathedrals of New Archangel and San Francisco.

Nick thought about her statement, yesterday morning, when she had mentioned that she'd already said her Russian prayers. He suddenly felt very humble, realizing that not only was she exiled from her family, but also from her religion. The thought that he'd had on the train, regarding her being dealt a bad set of cards, came back to him with a vengeance. It was so unfair, everything that had happened to her, he concluded.

"Hello Katarina, it is good to see you. Can I say how pretty you look?" Nick hoped he wasn't going too far, remembering his unfortunate remark yesterday. He was still astonished that she was in such good spirits, in spite of everything that had happened to her.

"That is very sweet of you, Nicholas! Would you like some coffee? I've had breakfast already, but there is still a lot of coffee left, and an extra cup?" Katarina enquired of him, and he looked at the tray, on the table in front of her. Nick remembered that he had rushed through breakfast to get up here, and decided that coffee would be good.

"I will always take more coffee, thank you. Do you care if I sit next to you, though? I've already been out riding for a couple of hours." Nick hesitated, as he looked at the seating, or lack thereof in the small sitting area of the bedroom. He was also suddenly aware that he was in his full ranch clothes, down to his dusty boots with the spurs.

Nick still had the memory burned in his brain, of Hester coming upon him after he'd been out working on the range. He'd come into the front parlor, so glad to see her, and she had wrinkled her nose as he strode in. He had not understood at first, what was going on, until she had drawn herself physically back from him, with the comment 'you smell like a horse'.

"Well, unless you want to sit on the floor you will have to sit on the settee with me. I promise I will behave myself." Katarina flashed her dimple as she said it, and Nick suddenly felt a lot more relaxed as he noticed her dancing blue eyes. He walked over, and sat down on the love seat, trying not to get to close to her.

She poured him some coffee from a decorative porcelain coffee pot, into a matching cup. He saw cream and sugar on the silver tray, along with the appropriate utensils. Nick, who drank his coffee black, looked over at her as she poured some more into her cup, adding barely a drop of cream to it. He liked the fact that she didn't add all the cream and sugar most women did to their coffee.

"How did your morning ride go? What kind of things do you look for?" Katarina enquired, enjoying having him spend time with her. She had given a lot of thought to his remarks, after his comment at church, trying not to be too happy that he had said he enjoyed her company. It had made her feel slightly better about what she'd done to his life. Katarina also remembered her earlier observation, from the train that everybody talked at Nick but no one talked to him.

Nick proceeded to tell her about his morning, and his observations with the stock. Before he realized it, he was explaining a personnel issue he was having with one of the hands. Nick had learned the hard way, a long time ago, not to discuss those issues at the family table, because they backfired on him. His family meant well, but they were almost too involved in the ranch business, not seeing that at the end of the day everything fell on his shoulders.

He had been carrying that burden ever since his Father died, and while having Heath helped in some ways, at other times he was almost a hindrance. Heath always looked out for the underdog, and wanted to help every 'stray' who came along. Nick had his eye on the bottom line, and was much more perspective than people gave him credit for. He understood how one malcontented worker could poison the whole workface.

Katarina listened to what he had to say, and agreed with his approach to the problem. She pointed out that someone who was so unhappy right off the bat was only going to get worse, and why did anyone need to listen to them. Nick appreciated how she cut to the main issue, that he needed workers who were totally on board with what he was trying to accomplish. It came to him, once again, how easy it was to be with her, and how she understood his life.

"Listen, I didn't mean to bore you with my personnel problem, Katarina. I wanted to know if you wanted to go riding after lunch. Also, I was curious about why you weren't at breakfast?" Nick had been concerned that something was going on, and she wasn't happy. He was relieved to hear her give a small chuckle in response.

"Honestly, I think your family has seen a great deal of me, and I rather like to take things easy in the morning. I've started to work on the journal too, so this has given me time to focus on it." Katarina told him, as she looked at him sitting next to her. She had that odd sensation of wanting to snuggle up to him. She could smell his scent, the slightly spicy, masculine mixture she had come to associate with him. Sometimes it was mixed with scent of his tobacco, which was different than what the Russians or English smoked, or now mixed with the faint smell of horses and the outdoors.

"Ok, I was just concerned that you weren't feeling well." Nick replied, understanding where she was coming from. It was hard to be thrown into a group of strangers, and have to make polite conversation all the time. He also rather liked the fact that now he was able to spend time alone with her. Nick felt a sense of calmness come over him that she created, as well as a sense of security too.

Nick looked at her hair loosely braided, the caramel colored pieces interwoven with the golden ones, and he wanted to untie the pink bow, to feel her hair. The pink bow made him think of the camisole she wore on the train, with the blue bow he had wanted to untie too. Nick decided that bows were probably invented to tease men. It intrigued him how she could make him feel calm and secure on one level, while arousing him on another level.

His thought processes had led him down other paths, including what she smelled like, and what she had on under the robe. Nick then thought about his remark yesterday, with his early birthday present. He wished again that she really was his present, and he could untie all those bows.

"I would love to go riding Nicholas! Did you say after lunch?" Katarina's words interrupted his thoughts, probably for the best he decided. He sat with her for almost another half hour, having another cup of coffee. Nick talked about some more ranch stuff, while Katarina explained the translation process to him. He was sorry to have to say goodbye, but he had stuff to do, and knew that she wanted to get to the journal. As he headed downstairs he was whistling, which was something he had not done in a while.

Victoria and Audra was already at the table for lunch when Catherine walked in, wearing her riding clothes. The habit was made from fine chocolate brown wool, with black velvet collar, cuffs, and black cord frog closures on the jacket. Her riding boots were also black, while she carried a black hat, gloves, and a whip in her hands. Audra also noticed how neatly her hair was put up, with several braids all being wrapped together.

"You look so smart Catherine! I wish I had your sense of style." Audra informed her, as Catherine sat down at her place at the table. Victoria greeted her, complimenting her on her clothes too. The older woman knew that Catherine's outfits were a double edge sword. It was making Audra pay more attention to her appearance, but also making Nick more interested in the girl.

Her middle son had, from the time he first noticed girls, always preferred very feminine women. Victoria knew that some of it was because Nick was so masculine, but his eye was always caught by bright colors, ruffles, and lace. Tom had made the comment once that Nick took after his grandfather in that regard. Since she'd never met Tom's parents, Victoria took him at his word.

"Thank you both. Nicholas is going to take me riding after lunch." Catherine explained excitedly. Right after that Nick and Heath came in for lunch also. She found out that Jarrod was in town, and would have something there. Nick came over and sat down next to her, giving her one of his infectious grins that put butterflies in her stomach.

Heath looked at Nick, grinning at Catherine, and confirmed his thought from this morning that Nick was already in love with her. He didn't know how he felt about it, because of the experience with Hester. Having Catherine around had opened up the wound between him and Nick that Hester had left. Heath already felt Nick putting a wall between them, which he didn't like. He was making a point to be extra careful around Catherine, and was hurt that Nick didn't see that.

Of course, he reasoned, right now Nick wasn't seeing anything but Catherine. He was also noticing that Catherine seemed only to be aware of Nick when he was around. Heath knew that Jarrod and Audra were very happy about the young woman, while Victoria wasn't. He wasn't much of a gambler in most circumstances, but in this one he was willing to bet money on Catherine, rather than Victoria.

After lunch Nick took her out to the barns, and introduced her to some of the horses, including his own stallion Coco. He was keeping very close to her, being aware that the ranch hands who were around were watching her. Nick looked at her, in her riding clothes, liking how the chocolate brown showed off her hair and eyes. The habit was cut well, and flattered her lovely figure. He wanted to run his hands down her sides, and encircle her waist, thinking about how small it was.

"Carlos, there you are!" Nick's voice boomed, and Catherine turned to see an older man walking up to them. He was dressed in clothes similar to Nick's, but his were slightly more elaborate. She also noticed the two guns he carried, which made Catherine think of Nick's gun belt. He had told her that there were predators on the range, and she understood that.

Carlos was the father-in-law of Miguel, the senior ranch foreman; the older man had relocated to the valley a year ago. Carlos had been head cattle guard on a ranch down by San Diego, which was owned by a very grand Spanish landowner. The ranch had spilled over the Mexican border, and bandits were always a problem. Carlos was an excellent shot, and had a number of kills to his credit, before he was shot by some fleeing rustlers.

The man came up to have his daughter nurse him, and then had decided to stay in the valley. Carlos knew that he couldn't sit in the saddle all day anymore, but could still work shorter shifts. Senor Nick, El Patron, as Carlos referred to him in the Spanish fashion, had welcomed him gladly. He had worked various jobs, and knew that the young man trusted him and respected him.

As he walked up to the couple, Carlos knew that trust and respect were why Senor Nick had given him the assignment. He looked at the woman with Senor Nick and knew she was the Russian princess who was the Patron's wife. Carlos looked with approval at her, and her proper riding clothes. It reminded him of what Don Sanchez's wife and daughters had worn when they went riding.

"Carlos, this is my wife, Dona Catherine. Katarina, this is Carlos. He is one of the best shots on the ranch, and knows every acre." Nick stopped and the other two smiled at each other. The one drawback was that Carlos' English was not that good, but then he heard Katarina talking to him in Spanish. It was the pure, formal Castilian Spanish, but Carlos would know that from working with Don Diego Sanchez, the great landowner in the southern part of the state.

"Katarina, I know that you are going to want to ride when I'm not around. However, until you get familiar with the countryside, Carlos will be available to accompany you." Nick turned to look at her as he explained the situation to her. He hoped that she would go along with it, and not kick up the fuss his sister would've.

Nick had been glad when Carlos had wanted to stay on the ranch, knowing the man was quick with a gun, especially in defense of his Patron's property. Carlos was feared and respected, which Nick liked. He had been concerned about Katarina riding on her own, and getting lost. In the back of his mind, he knew, he was still bothered by Hester's behavior when she'd been on the ranch.

By now he knew that Katarina would never act like Hester, but he didn't trust all of his hands, who might think history could repeat it's self. Nick knew by announcing that Carlos would be Katarina's escort if he wasn't around, a clear message was being sent to the workers. Nick meant business, and Carlos had the authority to enforce it.

"Thank you Nicholas! Yes, I would like to ride every day, but didn't want to take you away from your work." Katarina beamed at him, being glad that she wouldn't be stuck in the house all the time. She loved to ride, but had been apprehensive about getting lost, not knowing the countryside. Predators did not concern her, because wolves had been a problem in Russia too, and she was prepared.

Nick put his arm around her shoulders, being happy that she wasn't going to be upset about him wanting her to be escorted. He knew his protective ways had not always been well received in the past, but so far she had accepted his gestures kindly. Katarina moved closer to him, in an almost reflexive move. She didn't understand why her body acted the way it did around Nicholas.

When Katarina moved closer to him Nick had to almost bite his tongue, as a hard wave of physical arousal hit his body. He almost wished they didn't understand each other so well, because it would make the next six months so much easier. He had never experienced the kind of physical and mental connection with anyone that he had with Katarina. Nick now wondered how he could have thought Hester was the woman for him, experiencing this now with Katarina.

Carlos, along with the other hands in the barn was watching the couple closely, and saw how Dona Catherine acted towards Senor Nick. Carlos had heard the whole story about the arranged marriage, but had no problems figuring out that El Patron Nick had made his bride very happy already. In Carlos' mind it only increased his admiration for the young man. Senor Nick might not be a Spanish grandee, but he was macho in every sense of the word.

The other hands, some of whom remembered the Hester affair just shook their heads. They knew that Nick Barkley was a bad ass, with a short temper and a stubborn streak. They were not surprised that Carlos was chosen to be Dona Catherine's escort. Carlos was old school Latin, with high morals and values. They knew that Nick, for all of his wild ways, was very upright and correct. The hands had no problem seeing why Nick had chosen Carlos. What they all found interesting is how Dona Catherine was obviously very happy with how Nick was behaving towards her.

Nick received a major shock to his sense of the order of things, as well as his view of Katarina, halfway through their ride around the eastern pastures. He had seen right away what a good seat she had on a horse, as well as soft hands on the reins. It had been exciting to explain to her all the terms, and details about the cattle operation of the ranch.

They were about halfway through the ride, when they decided to stop and sit by the river. Nick was helping her off the horse, with his hands around her waist. As he lifted her down, his left hand shifted slightly, and encountered something hard by Katarina's right hip. He moved his hand over it, after she was on the ground, her arms lightly resting on his.

"Katarina, what am I feeling there?" Nick questioned, wondering if he was right in what he was thinking. She put her hand under the panel of the skirt and drew out a small gun, made from a dull metal that would not reflect the sun. He could tell that it was a handgun, but some of the mechanisms looked different than what he was used to seeing on that type of firearm.

"A gun of course! In Russia I wasn't allowed to ride out on our estates until I could shoot. Wolves are a big problem in the countryside. We also have special dogs that are bred to take them down, and I would usually have one of those accompanying me too." Katarina explained in a matter of fact voice to him.

"What kind of gun is it? And you know how to shoot it?" Nick held his hand out for the gun, and she passed it to him. He was trying to wrap his head around the concept that Katarina, who always looked for feminine, could carry a gun, and shoot it too.

"Of course I know how to shoot it Nicholas! I just told you that that." Katarina flashed her dimple at him, as she answered his question with a saucy note in her voice, before going on "It is a model from the German armaments firm of Krupp." She gave him the technical specifications, and showed him how the firing mechanism worked.

Nick liked guns, and in addition to his everyday guns, also owned some beautiful English shooting rifles. However, he'd never seen anything like this, with its design that made it light but still able to shoot fast and strong. He looked at Katarina, who was regarding him with cool amusement, rather like she would have watched a little boy with a new toy.

"Well, I didn't meant to doubt you, it's just that I didn't think you would; ah I mean I am surprised that." Nick faltered, trying to say what he wanted to say without insulting her. After embarrassing her yesterday, he didn't want to put his foot in his mouth again.

"Don't American women carry guns? I've always heard this is the Wild West, with bandits and murdering Indians." Katarina was enjoying Nick's discomfort, and also how he was examining her gun. "Would you like to try shooting it?" She decided to take some pity on him, knowing how men were with guns.

"Most women here do not carry guns on them, as it is considered unladylike. The ranch land is pretty safe from bandits, because of all the hands I have. As far as the Indians, they are pretty peaceful." Nick replied, while he was checking the chamber of the gun, to see the bullets.

"Nicholas, are you saying I am not ladylike?" Katarina's lilting accent made the teasing sound very amusing. He looked over at her, standing there in her feminine riding clothes, her head slightly tilted as she regarded him with those dark blue eyes, and Nick realized he had in fact put his foot in his mouth after all. He also wondered why she was so good at putting him at a disadvantage like this.

"Katarina, you are very ladylike and I am very good at saying the wrong thing. I made an assumption about you, which has turned out not to be true. It will make me feel better, knowing you are armed when you are out on the range." Nick decided he needed to get hold of himself, and stop being distracted by her, and her gun.

"Did you say I could try shooting it?" Nick remembered her offer, and hoped that she would not reconsider after how he had acted. He was relieved when her musical laughter answered his question.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Author's Note: I am doing the party in three parts, instead of one very long part. The mentioned in this chapter was actually published in 1873, but for the sake of the story I've changed the date. **_

_**The Birthday Party – Part One**_

Nick was getting ready for his, and Katarina's party, happier than he had ever been before. It had been not quite two weeks since he'd brought her home to the ranch, but he couldn't imagine life without her. He'd known for almost a week now that he was in love with her, however he didn't know what he was going to do about it.

The circumstances of how they'd been brought together troubled him, and he didn't want her to think he was going to take advantage of her. Nick was sure that whatever good front she was putting on, at the end of the day she was stuck with him, at the ranch, for six months. From their talks he knew that the ranch was not that much different than her family's estates in Russia. He figured that was probably why she had adapted so easily to life here.

There was still the fact that she was a princess from a very grand family, who should be on a ship heading to England. Nick had travelled in Europe, and while he had not made it to Russia he had been to England. He had seen how the gentry lived, and knew that with her looks she would no doubt make a good marriage, probably to a Lord or one of those titled types.

He, and his family, had messed up all those plans. Nick was aware that he was guilty of what the Russian Bishop had accused him of, being greedy and willing to lie to God to get the land grant. At the end of the day, he decided that he wasn't worthy of her at all. Nick told himself that every night, as he fell asleep to thoughts of her. Those same thoughts would go out of his head, the next morning when he saw her.

Katarina did not come down for breakfast, but Nick, after eating in the dining room, went up to her room. Nick had also seen her in a pretty pale blue robe, but the pink and white one was still his favorite. He would sometimes get a whiff of the floral scent she wore, and he wondered what flower it was. It required a lot of will power not to move his head to her neck, to try to identify it.

She'd never once commented on his dusty boots, or complained that he smelled like a horse. Rather, she was always glad to see him, and made him feel welcome. They would sit on the love seat together, and have coffee while they talked about what was happening on the ranch. At first it had just been Nick's personnel issue, along with the journal translation, but it soon involved into a discussion of all aspects of the business.

Nick appreciated how quickly she learned about the ranch, and what he was trying to accomplish. He also liked that she was a sounding board for his issues, and how she kept silent about what he had told her. He'd already seen, on two different occasions at dinner, when certain topics had come up that he had discussed with her, but no one else. Katarina had let him take the lead, and not let on that she was already well versed in the topic.

He was almost dressed, but couldn't get all of his studs into his dress shirt. Nick decided to go to Katarina's room a little early, to have her help him. He knocked on the door of her room, and Nina opened it with a smile, then excused herself. Walking into the room he saw her standing there, in her wedding dress, and she took his breath away. When they were married he had not noticed too much else about the dress, other than it was lace.

It was in fact intricate, delicate lace that fit her body perfectly, showing off every curve she had. The dress had a v-neck line, long sleeves, and was straight in the front. It was then all bustled back into an elaborate arrangement of lace ruffles, ornamented with a white satin bow at the top of the bustle. There were also white satin bows at the neck line, sleeves, and at the bottom of the skirt holding it up to show white satin underneath.

Nick remembered that Katarina had worn a diamond headpiece in her hair, with a veil, at the cathedral, but saw now that she had a diamond pin at the back of her hair, in the shape of a bow. The lace in the dress offset her smooth porcelain skin, dark blonde hair, and blue eyes. The only jewelry she wore was a pair of diamond drop earrings, and her diamond wedding band. He smiled at her, as he noticed the bows, especially the one above her breasts.

"Katarina, you are so beautiful! Wow!" Nick blurted out the first thing that had come to mind, when he'd seen her. She looked at him in surprised, both at what he was saying, and why he was in her room now.

"I appreciate the compliment, but you've seen the dress before Nicholas. I wore it when we were married." Katarina reminded him in her lilting accent, but still flashed her dimple at him.

"I think I was rather distracted, Katarina." Nick told her truthfully, remembering his thought that lying to her would do no good.

"By the fact that my uncle was forcing you to marry me? I can certainly understand how that would put a damper on the whole thing." Katarina sympathized with him, thinking about what her thoughts were at the time.

"Well that and that I didn't know what I was saying, or what the whole service meant. You've seen what our church looks like, and how different it is from yours." Nick walked over to her as he was talking, until he was in front of her. Up close the dress was even more amazing, as was her figure.

"Quite frankly I thought you did a good job with the Russian responses, Nicholas." Katarina disclosed, as she tried not to think about how close he was standing next to her. She was tall for a woman, but Nicholas still towered over her by several inches. That was something that she'd always liked about him is that he was taller than she was. She took after her British grandmother, both in height and looks, which was striking but not always welcomed by men.

"Listen, could you help me with my studs and cuff links?" Nick asked her, trying not to think about how good she looked, and the fact that he wanted to put his hands on her body.

"Of course, let me see them." She replied, as he held out his hand with the shirt studs, and matching cufflinks. They were gold, but embossed with the brand, or what she thought of as the crest, of the family's ranch. Katarina liked the fact that they were tasteful and discreet, not like what a lot of men wore with their evening clothes. She told him that, and saw him look very pleased at her remark. She was carefully putting them into his shirt, trying not to think about how handsome he was.

Nick was enjoying having her so close to him, her fingers lightly brushing against his chest as she fastened the studs into the front of the shirt. It was intimate, and he liked having her touch him the way she was. He became aware of the floral scent he associated with her, and wondered again what it was.

"Would you think it too forward of me to say that you always smell so good!" Nick asked in a low voice, and she looked up to answer his question. Their faces were inches apart, and she was aware of the intensity in his green eyes, as he stared at her. Katarina felt like her heart was in her throat, while her stomach was full of butterflies. Her lips slightly parted as she met his gaze and it felt like time stood still.

Nick was aware of how close they were, along with the deep blue of her eyes looking at him softly, and her pink lips moist and slightly open. He started to lean his head closer to her when there was a loud knock on the door. Katarina stiffened slightly, and then managed to say 'come in' hoping her voice did not sound unsteady. As she did, she stepped back just slightly, and taking Nicholas' arm started putting in the cuff link at the end of the sleeve.

The door opened and Audra came into the room, all excited to get the first look at Catherine's dress. She was taken aback to see Nick standing next to Catherine, as the Russian girl was fastening his cuff link. Her sister-in-law seemed very intent on what she was doing, while Nick looked at Audra with a cool glance.

"Catherine, I love your dress. I just wanted to see if you needed any help." Audra was not sure what to say, or why she felt like had interrupted a very private moment between the couple. "I'll see you downstairs in a bit?" She finished up her query, wishing she had just waited downstairs like she was supposed to.

"Audra, thank you so much! I think we are all set, and I'm sure it will be a wonderful party." Katarina had recovered enough to be able to look Audra in the eye with a calm glance. In fact it took everything she had to do it, but she'd felt Nick's distress at being interrupted. She had known that Nick was about to kiss her, which excited her no end.

She still remembered the first time she and Nicholas had met, and how handsome she'd thought he was. Now, almost a month later, with everything they'd been through together, she knew that she was in love with him. That fact bothered her, because Katarina was aware that he had married her only to get the land grant. She also understood why Uncle Sergey had done what he had, with the young American. It was just too bad that things had worked out like they had.

The last two weeks had been the best time of her life, and she was coming to love California. Nicholas' company every morning had been wonderful and special. She had also done lots of riding, with Carlos accompanying her. He knew the history of the area, and gave her an education for the Barkley land holdings.

After Audra left Nick looked at Katarina, who was finishing up his cuff link, and sighed, wishing his sister had not knocked on the door. He had seen though that she had been willing to kiss him, which gave encouragement to his feelings for her. Nick started to wonder whether she could ever fall in love with him.

"I think we are expected downstairs now. Oh, before we go down I have something for you." She told him, as she walked over to desk and came back with a wrapped package. Katarina handed it him, and waited for him to open it. She had been unsure about what to get him, not wanting to overdo it. The item she selected was not enough in her mind, for everything he'd done for her.

"It is the new Jules Verne 'Around the World in 80 Days'. Some of the book takes place in India, and he does a good job describing the place. I remembered you mentioning that you were reading one of his other books." Katarina informed him, and liked the reaction on his face.

"Thank you so much! I was going to try to get this book the next time I went to San Francisco. You couldn't have chosen a better present." Nick enthused, being excited at the thought of reading the book. He was also curious to read about India, since Katarina had spent time there.

"Nicholas, I wasn't sure of what to get you for your birthday, but I'm glad you like it." She replied, as she turned to pick up her gloves and fan from the small table. Nick looked up from the book, and watched her as she gracefully walked away, the lace ruffles on the bustle gently swaying. The white bow caught his attention, and the thought, if only she was his birthday present, came back to him with a vengeance.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Author's note: The reference to 'Worth, Paris' relates to Charles Frederick Worth, the great fashion designer of the late 19**__**th**__** century. He was born in England, and studied textiles and historical costumes before moving to Paris, where he would become the leading designer of French fashion world.**_

_**The Birthday Party – Part Two**_

Audra walked down the hall, after leaving Catherine's room, with a sense of embarrassment, not sure why. She didn't know if it was the way they were standing, or the intimate feel of watching Catherine do Nick's cufflink. There was also something about the way her brother had looked at her, almost like she was unwelcome. Audra sighed, wishing she had not wanted to see the dress so badly.

She realized that she had not even noticed the dress, being caught off guard by Nick being there. Audra wondered about their relationship, not for the first time. One of the times that she and Catherine had been sharing girl talk, Audra had brought up the subject of the marriage. It had been a general inquiry only, but her sister-in-law had shut down the conversation politely but very quickly. Thinking about what she was feeling now, it was the same thing she'd felt after the conversation with Catherine; that she had intruded on something private.

"Audra, you look very pretty!" Victoria told her as she came down the stairs, which gave her something else to think about. Her dress was pale green satin, trimmed with lace ornamented with darker green ribbon. At the time she'd picked it out the dress had seemed perfect, but now she felt it was too young and plain for her. Catherine's arrival had made her start looking at her clothes, and life, a lot more closely than she used to.

"Well no one will be looking at me mother; Catherine is the bride after all." Audra's voice sounded tight, even to her. She saw both Victoria and Heath give her a strange look, but before anything else could be said Jarrod came into the room. Audra was grateful for the distraction, not wanting to get into that discussion with her family.

"Nick and Catherine are not down yet? Everyone will start arriving soon!" Jarrod exclaimed, but then heard a rustle from the top of the stairs. He turned in the direction of the sound, and smiled fondly as he looked at the couple coming down the stairs. Catherine was dazzling, and Jarrod had no problem understanding why his brother looked as happy as he did. Once again he felt the loss of Beth, and the closeness he'd had with her.

Jarrod by now was sure that Catherine was not going to be leaving the ranch, and he was quite fine with it. In his opinion she was the best thing had his brother had ever done, even if he had not meant too. Jarrod had taken his sister-in-law to lunch, one day last week, when she and Nick came into town. Nick's trip to the assayer's office was running longer than planned, so Jarrod had offered to escort Catherine to lunch.

It had been an enjoyable meal, and had given Jarrod the chance to talk to her about India. He was impressed with not only what she knew about the countryside, but also the English government policies. Jarrod found it fascinating to talk to smart women, and he soon found out that his sister-in-law was that. He had already heard about her knowing Latin, after Nick had taken him to task for not translating the journal.

He learned about her life in Russia, and her family's estates there. They had talked what crops were grown on the estates and agriculture in general. Jarrod had been watching her settle into life on the ranch very easily, and now he knew why. He also appreciated how she treated Nick, and had seen how close they were to each other. There was one little problem, but it wasn't Catherine causing it, rather Nick was. Jarrod was planning on addressing the issue tonight with his brother.

"May I say that you are a beautiful bride, Catherine?" Jarrod raised a champagne glass as he asked the question, and was rewarded with a smile. Audra ran up and started admiring the dress, trying to imagine wearing something that elaborate. At Sarah Holcomb's tea party last week, that she and Catherine had attended, all the women had been talking about their wedding dresses. Audra had not been able to participate in the conversation.

"Catherine, you look lovely. Where ever did you find such a dress?" Victoria complimented the young woman, wondering if the dress was French. There was something about the design, and fabric choices that made her think it was. The older woman could honestly admit that Catherine had perfect taste in clothes.

"Thank you Victoria, and everyone else. It is from Worth, in Paris." Catherine revealed, pleased that everyone liked it. She had been concerned that it was too elaborate, compared to American wedding dresses. Victoria smiled, glad that she had been right about the origins of the costume. It was a very showy dress, but having seen a Russian orthodox cathedral, figured that the dress would fit right in.

"You mean this is an original Worth? You've been to his shop?" Audra exclaimed, her voice rising several decibels. Heath looked at her with an almost pained look. He had raised his glass when Jarrod had raised his, and inclined his head in agreement with the semi toast that his brother had made. Heath wanted to be on his extra good behavior tonight.

"Yes, I have, about a year and a half ago. We were there to order my cousin Sophie's wedding dress, and my Aunt Olga wanted to do mine at the same time. Sophie and I always did everything together, so it was great fun." Catherine explained, smiling as she thought about her cousin who was really a sister to her. The next couple of minutes were spent in general chit-chat, while drinking champagne, before Silas announced the first arrival.

It was over two hours later, and Victoria had to give Catherine high marks for how she had handled everything so far. She had been very curious to see how the young woman was going to behave at the party, being sure that this was her natural element. The older woman was aware of how well she had settled into life on the ranch, but thought that she'd had no other choice.

Victoria had watched Catherine handle the receiving line perfectly, knowing exactly how to greet everyone. The guest included the Governor of the state, as well as several old Spanish Dons and their wives. Catherine also handled some of the newly rich, rough around the edges miners with a grace that Victoria admired. Bishop Hamilton Williams had looked Catherine over closely, and then had buttonholed her for a conversation once the receiving line broke up.

After the receiving line there had been a buffet type supper, and then the dancing started with Nick and Catherine opening up the first waltz. Victoria watched how the young woman behaved and couldn't find fault with her behavior. As a married woman, Catherine could only dance with her husband, male family members, or men that her husband allowed, which were usually friends.

The older woman watched as one very eligible bachelor, well known in San Francisco circles, approached Catherine about dancing. Victoria knew that Nick did not know the man that well, but she wanted to see what her new daughter-in-law was going to do. She knew that the bachelor was good looking and very charming to women.

How Catherine handled the situation ended up displeasing Victoria, but not because of Catherine dancing with the man. The older woman watched as her daughter-in-law talked with the man, who was trying to flirt with her. She also saw several other people watching the couple, and she held her breath waiting for Catherine to start dancing with him.

Instead of dancing with him though, Catherine called Audra over, and Victoria saw that her daughter was soon dancing with the man. That was perfectly acceptable from society's point of view, because Audra was not married or engaged. She knew that daughter-in-law's actions would be approved of for two reasons, one being that she had not danced with the man. The other, which bothered Victoria, was that it looked like Catherine was match making for her unmarried sister-in-law.

All the women in the room would approve, because that is what she should be doing since Audra was not married. Victoria had not cared for the edge Audra's voice had when she'd made the comment about Catherine being the bride. She had also come to the realization that all of her daughter's friends were married, and she didn't want Audra to feel like she was 'on the shelf'. Victoria knew that some of those marriages were not great, or not love matches. As far as society was concerned, it was better to be unhappily married, than happily single. Victoria hated that concept with a vengeance.

Nick had seen Catherine talking to some young man from San Francisco, and had started walking over to where she was. He arrived just in time to see her steer the young man, who he recognized as Nathan Winters son and Audra out to the dance floor. Nick had been aware that the man had been trying to flirt with Catherine, but he had not been able to see her response.

"May I dance with my beautiful bride?" Nick came up next to her, and she smiled at him in acquiesce. He put his arms around her, and led her out to the dance floor. He had been relived to watch her not dance with the young man, who was not married. Nick also thought it was nice of Catherine to think of Audra. The Winters banking fortune was solid, and he knew that the son had gone to West Point and done army service. It would b a good match, if it worked out.

"Are you playing matchmaker Katarina?" Nick teased, as the swung around the floor. She answered with her musical laughter, while flashing her dimple.

"Owen is probably thinking so, and it serves him right!" She responded, and he gave her a puzzled look. "I am pretty sure that Owen is a skittish bachelor, who prefers married women because they are safe." Katarina informed Nick who was taken aback.

"What do you mean, he prefers married women? And you let my sister dance with him?" Nick was aghast at what she was implying, but before he could say anything else, she winked at him.

"He was way more charming to me, a married woman, than a single man needs to be, which is a clear sign of trouble. Your sister is actually very safe with him, because he has no interest in unmarried women, all of whom, in his mind, want to catch him. Owen will not try anything with me again, because of my reaction in getting him to dance with Audra. And who knows, maybe she will be the reformation of him." Katarina's dimple appeared, as she explained her logic to Nick.

He thought about what she'd said, regarding the young man's behavior, and it made sense. Nick was pleased that she had seen through Owen being charming, and had not responded to him. Before he could stop himself he compared what Katarina had done, to what Hester would have done have. Nick looked at Katarina, with her soft blue eyes that were only watching him, and he felt a wave of love sweep over him.

"Have I told you how incredible you are Katarina? I think I am the luckiest man in the world." Nick murmured into her ear, as he pulled her closer to him. She felt her heart race while her knees went weak, hearing him say that.

"Actually I think I am very lucky, Nicholas. You are wonderful and I am having a great time." Katarina answered, enjoying how he was holding her. She was starting to hope that maybe he would fall in love with her, like she was in love with him.

Owen Winters was also having a great time, much to his surprise. He had been the 'catch' in San Francisco since he graduated from West Point. Army service had kept him out of the clutches of girls who only wanted one thing from him. Since he'd been home and working for his father, he had discovered that married women were best way to go. A married woman wouldn't try to trick him into marriage, and she needed to keep her mouth shut about their affair.

He would normally not have approached Catherine, since she was so newly married. He had heard, along with the entire city, the story of the marriage being arranged. Owen took that into consideration, along with the fact that she was European, and decided to go for it. He had been rather put out to see that Catherine saw right through him, and then had roped him into dancing with her unmarried sister-in-law.

Audra though turned out to be different from most of the debutantes he danced with, much to his amazement. Not only was she beautiful, but she actually talked to him like he was a person, and not a prize to be won. Owen was interested to hear that she was involved in several charitable organizations, and actually did work for them. The ladies in his circle, including his mother, all met at tea parties to talk about charity, but none of them did any real work for their causes. He started to think that maybe he needed to come up with a reason to visit Stockton, and get to know Audra better.

"You must be quite pleased at how the whole affair turned out, Victoria! Catherine is delightful, and you didn't tell me she was half English." Ham Williams came up to her with a beatific smile on his face. When the older woman had come to his office, a month ago, with the story of Nick's arranged marriage to the Russian aristocrat he had been more concerned that he'd let on. However, he trusted his friend Bishop Krill, and seeing things now, he decided he would take fellow ecclesiastic out to lunch.

"Hello Ham. If you recall I didn't know anything about her at the time." Victoria reminded him in a cool tone, and he laughed.

"Now you must know everything about her, right? She and Nick look very happy together." The Bishop had a pleased note in his voice, until he glanced over at his friend's face. He knew that Victoria was a good woman, very sympathetic and caring. She also harbored strong beliefs and opinions, which sometimes conflicted with her caring nature.

"Victoria, may I give you some advice, both as your friend and spiritual advisor?" Ham queried, and the older woman turned to look at him, hearing seriousness in his voice as he went on "Get to know the girl, and give her a chance."

"Why are you telling me this, Hamilton?" Victoria had heard the cautionary note in the man's voice, and didn't like it.

"You might not be happy about the marriage, but your son is, and that is what counts Victoria. It obviously didn't take long for them to warm up to each other." The Bishop declared, as he watched the couple of the dance floor, as Nick pulled her close to him.

"Look at it this way, when we do the christening for your first grandchild, we can fix Nick's baptism too." Hamilton offered up, and saw Victoria turn to him with shock on her face.

"Grandchildren? No, that is not going to happen! They are not sharing a bed, and if they do then the marriage can't be annulled. That is what the Russian Bishop told them." Victoria almost whispered, not wanting to be overheard. Ham looked at the couple, and had to keep from laughing very loudly while thinking how clever his friend Bishop Krill was.

"Victoria, they might not be sharing a bed yet, but it is going to happen, trust me. There is a lot of physical passion between those two. I think you are going to get quite a few grandkids from Catherine, so be nice to her, ok?" He walked away, still privately chuckling at what his fellow Bishop had done to the couple.

She didn't even notice Ham walking away, being too busy thinking about what he had just said about the couple. She thought about how her son behaved with Catherine, always putting his arm around her shoulders, or waist. It wasn't just at the house either, but anytime they were around each other, even in public. Nick would touch her and Catherine would cuddle up to him with no hesitation. It came to her that everyone at the party tonight, watching the couple, would assume that Catherine was Nick's wife in every sense of the word, just like Ham had done. She thought about how pleased her son had sounded, when he'd made his birthday present remark in the church yard. Victoria decided that she needed a drink before she started hyperventilating.


	12. Chapter 12

_**The Birthday Party – Part Three**_

It was almost three-quarters of the way through the evening before Jarrod finally had the chance to talk to Nick. By then the birthday cake had been served, complete with candles that Catherine had helped Nick blow out. There had been toasts both to his birthday, and marriage, while the couple had stood together looking very happy.

Jarrod was glad that he was going to get to deal with Nick in a good mood, because that would make it easier. Of course, he reflected, Nick had been in decent spirits ever since he'd brought Catherine home. He was still loud, impatient, and short fused if the work wasn't done to his liking, but his recent behavior was a big improvement over what it had been before.

Catherine was the cause of Nick's better disposition, but also the issue that was occurring between Nick and Heath. Jarrod once again wished he had seen the damage that Hester had done to his brothers, sooner than now. However, it had to be fixed because of Catherine. He found Nick talking to Nathan Winters, which he found odd, since their worlds hardly overlapped. Jarrod then steered Nick over to the edge of the dance floor, where Heath was talking with Hamilton Williams.

While he was doing all that he was keeping an eye on Catherine who was out on the dance floor with the chief justice of the California Supreme Court. The man was eighty if he was a day, but still had a good eye for a pretty woman. Since he was an old family friend, and Jarrod's sponsor for the Bar, he was an acceptable dancing partner for her. He and Nick joined the conversation that Heath was having with the Bishop, until Catherine was done.

"Heath, you have not danced with your new sister-in-law all evening." Jarrod announced, after Justice Muir had led Catherine over to her husband. The Justice bowed and kissed Catherine's hand, holding it slightly longer than necessary. He was still a ladies' man, and was sure that Jarrod was kicking himself for picking the Peterson case over going to Alaska.

Jarrod looked over at Nick, who was regarding the elderly man with suspicious eyes. He hoped that once his brother had Catherine in his bed he would calm down about other men and his wife. One part of him wanted to slap Nick and tell him to get a clue, that Catherine didn't see anyone else but him. However, Jarrod also knew that some of the voyage of love was finding out for yourself that the object of your affection only wanted you.

"Catherine has been very busy; otherwise I would have asked her." Heath made a point to keep his voice almost indifferent as he made his comment. Visions of Hester were at the fore front of his mind, and he had decided much earlier in the evening not to approach Catherine. He was also cognizant that his sister-in-law was an aristocrat with a title that many important people wanted to meet.

"She is here now, so you should dance with her. Nick and I want to go have a cigar, so it will all work out." Jarrod smiled, and then listened to Justice Muir excuse himself. Heath offered his arm to Catherine, while Jarrod took Nick's arm and led him outside, feeling resistance as he did so.

Once outside he could tell that Nick only wanted to get back inside, to watch the dance floor. Jarrod privately thought that Nick reminded him of one of the stallions on the ranch, during mating season. Once a stallion had the scent of the mare he wanted in his nostrils, there was no working with him until his desire had been sated. Jarrod knew that Nick was not that bad, but he also knew what it was like to be totally in love, mentally and physically.

"Nick, I need to talk to you, and you need to listen." Jarrod told him after they'd lit their cigars and taken a couple of puffs. Nick appreciated the cigar, but wanted to get back to Katarina, not really understanding why he hated to have her out of his sight. She was playing havoc with him on so many levels, and thinking about Heath with her just caused a nervous reaction that his cigar could not calm down.

"Catherine is not Hester, Nick, and you need to stop stonewalling Heath. I get it, everything that happened with Hester." Jarrod started his spiel, and saw that Nick was all set to inject something but Jarrod stopped him. "You had no problem with me taking Catherine out to lunch last week, right? What if it had been Heath? What would you have done?" Jarrod threw it out there, and waited while Nick took a drag on his cigar.

"Jarrod, it's different! You're not, I mean, you're Pappy. I can trust you." Nick hated to admit that, but knew that as much as he loved Heath, he had seen that the last woman he had wanted had decided that she would rather have his younger brother.

Jarrod looked at Nick, the proud, strong willed ranching heir, who'd had to step into his father's boots much too soon. His brother had been through so much before Heath arrived, and finding out what his beloved father had done had torn at Nick's heart. Jarrod knew that Nick was someone who really needed kindness, but would have a hard time finding it, due to the façade he had to present to the world.

Nick was loud, difficult, and stubborn, because he had to be strong to get the job done. Jarrod was in awe of his brother, for what he had accomplished, and for the man he had grown into. He also saw how Catherine, coming from an old aristocratic family of land owners, could understand Nick and the feeling he had for his land. Hundreds of years of wars had been fought in Europe, because of land and family pride, Jarrod knew from his travels.

Catherine related to Nick because he was just like, Jarrod was sure, all of her male ancestors and relatives. They would do whatever it took to safeguard their land, just as Nick would. He had seen the bond between them, something that only true kindred spirits could generate. Jarrod also liked how considerate Catherine was to Nick, being only concerned about making him comfortable.

"Nick, you don't need to worry about Catherine and Heath, because Catherine is your wife, and she knows what that means." Jarrod didn't want to say too much, understanding that the couple needed to figure out their relationship by themselves. He watched as Nick took two successive puffs on his cigar, before he looked at Jarrod.

"Are you telling me that I'm being unreasonable?" Nick stated with bravado, trying to mask the emotions he was feelings.

"I think you have a beautiful wife you thinks very highly of you, and a brother who also thinks highly of you. Let them get to know each other, as friends, because I think it will be needed." Jarrod threw that out there, and waited for Nick's reaction.

Nick took a deep draw on his cigar, feeling like Jarrod had stripped him raw. He had been closed off to Heath, and had made it a point to keep him at arm's length. He loved Catherine so deeply, and was so scared of her leaving him that he could hardly think about it happening.

"Nick, do you love her?" Jarrod asked, thinking that Nick probably needed some pushing.

"Jarrod, we have messed up her life! She should be on a boat to England, instead of here with us. There is also the fact that I stood in front of God, ok it wasn't our church, but it was still a church, and lied to get a piece of paper that is going to make us a hell of a lot of money! What does that make me?" Nick asked with anguish in his voice.

Jarrod was shocked that Nick was suffering from religious guilt about the marriage! He could see Nick being upset about so many other issues regarding the marriage, but not this one. His brother had, he knew, drank, gambled, fought, and whored his way all around California. He then remembered a fellow classmate, at Harvard Law, from an old New England family. The man had made the comment that the worst sinners were always the best saints. Jarrod thought that now, and understood what he needed to do.

"Excuse me Nick; we had nothing to do with what Catherine's uncle did. You saw the papers you took with you to New Archangel, and it was a straight forward business deal. Further, we offered almost fifteen percent more than what the undeveloped land was worth." Jarrod was talking very slowly, wanting his brother to understand what had happened.

"Her uncle was trying to save his niece, and you did that for him. I will tell you now that he has returned the check I sent you with, to pay for the land grant. Come to my office tomorrow and I will show you the letter he sent with it, saying that your willingness to render service to his family was payment enough." Jarrod informed Nick, still in awe at what the Russian had done.

"Jarrod, are you telling me that Katarina's uncle is not taking any of our money?" Nick thought about how much that check had been for, and the kind of man who would turn his back on that much money. He thought about how Catherine had acted towards him, not being impressed with his family's influence and position.

"Nick, you had no control over the circumstances of your birth, like Catherine had no control over the situation she found herself in. However, the fates have brought you two together and I think you deal well with each other. I will ask you again, Nick, do you love her?" Jarrod asked emphatically, wanting to move his brother into action.

"Yes, I love her Jarrod! But I have mucked up her life, and she will never forgive me!" Nick informed him in an almost angry tone of voice, adding "You said to get that land grant no matter what!" He still was bothered by what he'd done, going through a wedding ceremony and saying vows he didn't mean.

"There is a saying that God works in mysterious ways, Nick, and I think if you are going to turn religious, you need to trust Him." Jarrod told his brother with a smile. Nick looked at him with a puzzled glance, not understanding what Jarrod was saying.

"Catherine thinks very highly of you Nick, which is a good beginning for a relationship. She is not going to be interested in Heath, other than as your brother. And somehow I don't see Heath being attracted to Catherine. If she is going to be staying here with us, they need to be friends, and you need to trust Heath." Jarrod hoped that some of his words were getting into his brother's thick skull.

"Jarrod, you said that she thinks highly of me? She isn't mad at me?" Nick inquired, with disbelief in his voice. He thought of everything that had happened to her, and how she was stuck with him on the ranch. Nick wondered again is she could fall in love with him, and decided that if he courted her slowly it might happen, especially as he listened to what Jarrod said next.

"When I had lunch with her she praised you for being so kind to her, and she talked about how much she was enjoying your company and the ranch. I heard all about the work that she's been doing at the blending house too." Jarrod reassured his brother, who was looking a lot more cheerful. He then changed the subject, and they finished their cigars both happy, but for different reasons.

Inside Heath had led Catherine out to the dance floor very carefully, not wanting to do anything wrong. He was hoping that Jarrod would keep Nick under control, but still worried about his brother charging onto the dance floor and grabbing Catherine from him. Heath looked at his sister-in-law, who was almost as tall as he was, with admiration. He could admit that she was very beautiful, in a cool English way.

Heath had never been attracted to the type of woman that Catherine was, but understood the attraction for his brother. She was ladylike, with lots of pretty clothes, and expected to be taken care of. Nick would eat all that up, while for him he preferred woman who required less maintenance. Heath did admit though that Catherine was very good to Nick, and seemed to care about him very much. That was enough in his books to make him like Catherine, in spite of her politics.

"So was Bishop Williams trying to save your soul?" Catherine inquired, after they started dancing. Heath heard the laughter in her voice, and watched as her dimple appeared. He determined that she was not quite the formal aristocrat that he'd thought she was.

"He is concerned because I do not attend church on a regular basis." Heath really didn't like to talk about religion, but it seemed easy with her.

"You must either be mad at God, or you don't believe in him I assume?" Catherine made it sound like she was asking his opinion on a bolt of fabric. He noticed that she didn't seem shocked about the issue, which was different from the way most people talked about religion.

"I have problems understanding why, if God does exist, he lets things happen like he does." Heath explained, and waited for the usual responses that statement produced.

"One of my uncles in England is a Vicar, which is rather like a parish priest here; anyway, he maintains that an intelligent, rational person should question God. Uncle Roland also says that God expects it, because that is the only way faith grows." Catherine replied, as Heath looked very shocked at her comment, and he said as much.

"My uncle says that God would rather have a few strong believers, than a bunch of weak ones, because the strong ones will be more effective." Catherine spelled out her uncle's philosophy, which intrigued Heath.

"So you think I will eventually overcome my issues and anger, to embrace God?" Heath was surprised he was talking to Catherine like this, without getting defensive.

"I have no idea what you will do; only you and God will ever know that. Religions are tricky things in my opinion, with so many people all fighting about the same thing." Catherine disclosed as they swung around the room. Heath found her outlook very refreshing, and also liked how she didn't feel the need to tell him what he should do.

"What does your church say about questioning God?" Heath was curious, remembering that she was not protestant, for all of her knowledge of that faith.

"The Russians equate the Tsar to God, so when they get angry about something, they blame it on the Tsar. That way God is always in the clear. It is very twisted, and makes no sense to anyone." Katherine told him matter of factly, and Heath remembered that she was married to Nick to get away from the Tsar ordering her to get married.

"Maybe you can explain how your religion is different than the Catholics? Don't you have the same rules for both?" Heath knew all about the Catholic faith, and from the few things Catherine had said about her faith, it sounded similar.

"They are very close, and in fact were the same religion until they split over various issues, because the Russians and the Latins both like to hold grudges." Katarina had a smile on her face as she said it, which made Heath think of something.

"What about the English, do they hold grudges too?" He asked her, since she seemed to be well informed on the subject. He watched as her dimple appeared, while her eyes started dancing.

"They just invade the country and make it part of their empire." Catherine had a merry note in her voice, and Heath gave her a very sharp look.

"Just so you know Nick gave me quite the lecture about why that topic is off limits." Heath informed her, and watched as she smiled fondly.

"That was so sweet of Nicholas! I can't believe how good he has been to me, when I've inflicted myself on him, and totally disrupted his life." Catherine's voice took on an awe struck note, as she thought about Nicholas. Heath watched her and wanted to burst out laughing at her comment.

Heath knew that his brother was loving every minute of Catherine 'disrupting' his life as she put it, and was tempted to tell her that. He then saw how she was looking, and he realized that she was in love with Nick. That made him want to laugh even louder, knowing how Nick felt about her. Heath was happy that she felt that way about his brother, because it would make things easier between them.

The dance finished, and Heath walked her over to the floor where Nick was standing calmly, talking to one of the old Spanish Dons. His brother greeted him happily, and then took Katarina out to the dance floor. Heath breathed a sigh of relief, glad that it would work out with his brother.

"Did you have an enjoyable dance with Heath?" Nick asked, as led her out to the dance floor. He was proud of how he had acted when Heath brought her up to him, thinking about what Jarrod had said. They started dancing, and he pulled her close to him. He had decided he liked dancing with her, because it gave him an excuse to hold her. She felt so good in his arms, he thought, and remembered he was going to take it slow. Nick also wondered what she was going to say about Heath.

"He doesn't dance as well as you do Nicholas, but it was all right. We actually had an interesting talk about religion." Katarina informed him, and Nick was taken aback by her comment. He was pleased though that she thought he was the better dancer.

"You talked to Heath about religion? And he didn't get all riled up? That is a touchy subject with him, and a thorn in my mother's side." Nick was trying to imagine the conversation, but couldn't and told her as much. She explained about asking about his conversation with Bishop Williams, and it had gone from there.

"Anyway, all that talking made me thirsty. When we are done dancing, can we sit down for a while?" Katarina snuggled up next to him as she asked, and Nick felt one of those waves of desire hit his body. He hoped he would be able to keep to his good intentions to go slow with her.

At the end of the evening Nick escorted her upstairs, and walked to the end of the hall where her room was. It had been the best birthday of his life, and he wished it wasn't coming to an end. Nick though kept the thought of his long term goal in his mind, as he opened the door to her room. She went in, and he followed her, shutting the door behind them.

"Katarina, thank you for making this birthday the best one I've ever had." Nick told her in all sincerity, as he stood close to her, just inside the room. She gazed at him in bewilderment, not believing what he was telling her. She was also aware of him in her bedroom, behind a closed door.

"Nicholas, I enjoyed helping you celebrate your birthday, and meeting all your friends. Thank you for including me." Katarina replied, in her lilting accent which he just adored to listen to. Nick saw how she was regarding him, with appreciation, and it touched his heart. After all the trouble he had caused her, she still wasn't mad or resentful of him and his family.

They were standing very close together, and Nick slowly put his hands on her shoulders, as he leaned his face closer to hers. Her dark blue eyes seemed very deep, while her pink lips were soft and slightly open. Going very slowly he moved his lips closer to her lips, not wanting to push her into anything she didn't want. Her floral scent was reaching his nose, as his lips gently met hers.

Katarina had felt her heart race, while her breathing stopped, when Nick had put his hands on her shoulders. They were so warm and strong, she thought, while his green eyes blazed with an intensity she'd never seen before. It seemed like ages before his lips were on hers, and then suddenly a flood of magic washed over her.

She put her arms around his waist, as he moved one of his hands to the back of her neck, pulling her head closer to his. Nick felt her against his body, and deepened the kiss, letting his tongue find hers. He had meant to keep it soft and gentle, but the torrent of passion between them was too much to resist. Katarina sensed the change in him, and it thrilled her, awakening feelings her body had never experienced before.

"Happy birthday Nicholas." She told him softly when they broke off the kiss. She was still in his arms, her body tight against his, which felt so good. His scent was all around her, and she wanted to get closer to it, to have it wash over her body. Nick looked down at her, and smiled as he slowly stepped back some, while loosening his arms. He knew that if he didn't stop now his good intentions, and long range plan, would go out the window.

"Thank you Katarina! I hope you sleep well." Nick told her, before he left the room. Getting ready for bed, he thought about the wish that he'd made, when he was blowing out the candles. He truly hoped that it did come true, and that by his next birthday she would fully be his wife.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Author's Note: I need to apologize for not posting this chapter sooner, but I wanted to get it 'right' so it took longer to write than I thought.**_

_**The View from the Kitchen**_

Nick finished up on the south range, after a long day, and made it back to the barn a little before 4:00pm. He put Coco away, and then washed up in the water barrel, before heading inside. As he approached the house from the back he saw Katarina waiting for him, looking pretty in a polished cotton dress with a print of pink and blue flowers.

It had a lace collar, and lavish lace trim on the skirt and cuffs, giving it a very feminine look. Her dark blonde hair was up, with a pink ribbon woven through it, and she wore some earrings with sparkling pink stones in them. Nick wanted to take her in his arms; she looked so soft and delicate, like one of the flowers on her dress.

It had been a month since his birthday party, and he was working on his plan to go slow with her. Nick went to her room in the morning, to talk about what was happening on the ranch. Katarina was now at the blending house almost every day, overseeing the treatments and work on the grapes. They had not been able to hire anyone, so she had stepped in to help out, working with what she remembered from her experiences in the Crimea, and the journal she'd translated.

They also rode together, went to church, and to several social events in the valley. He made it a point to take her into town to do something fun, so her life would not be all work. Nick had not kissed her again, being afraid that the passion between them would overwhelm his self-control. The depth of the kiss they'd shared had kept him awake for a long time after he'd said good night to her. The last thing he wanted was for her to be stuck with him because he had seduced her.

"How did the branding go today?" Katarina inquired, as he walked up to her. She had watched him from the doorway, admiring how strong and proud he looked. It was hard to admit, but she was more in love with him than ever, but doubted that he felt the same way. The kiss they had shared had been the most incredible thing in her life, and she was upset that he had not wanted to kiss her again. Katarina was sure that it had just been the champagne, and the fact that it was his birthday, as an explanation for why he had kissed her at all.

"We finished up in the south range, so as of tomorrow we will head to the far west fields. I have a good crew working with me, so it goes quickly. The calves don't feel anything, I promise." Nick told her, as he put his arm around her waist. She moved closer to him, enjoying how good he felt, while thinking he smelled like sunshine and horses. His presence next to her managed to turn both her brain and body to mush.

Katarina also appreciated his reference to the calves not feeling any pain. He had, two weeks earlier, invited her to watch the branding process. Nick had been dismayed to see her face go white, while her pupils dilated. When he questioned her about it, she had told him all about her Russian grandfather, and his treatment of his serfs, as slaves were known in her homeland.

Her grandfather had caught one of his 'freed' serfs trying to steal from the grinding mill, and had insisted he be branded with the mark of a thief. It had been the man's birthday and all the family were at the main estate of Bulovnir. The old prince had insisted his grandchildren all watch the event, so they would know how to treat a serf. In her grandfather's opinion, emancipation did not mean anything; the workers were still his property.

Nick had been shocked at her story; both at the abuse of a human being, and the fact that the man had thought his grandchildren should watch it. Katarina told him that she'd been twelve at the time, but she could still smell the odor of the burning flesh, and see the pain on the man's face. He then felt bad for asking her to watch the branding, and apologized to her. She though been understanding and not upset with him though, which was a relief.

"Silas wanted me to tell you that he made the chocolate cookies you like. If you want some they are in the kitchen." Katarina informed him, and watched him get a delighted smile on his face. She thought it interesting how easy it was to please him. Her great-aunt's words of advice about men came to her mind.

"Will you keep me company while I have them, Katarina? Have you tried one of them yet? They are the best!" Nick declared, as they walked up to the house, and into the kitchen. The room was 'L' shaped, with the stove and ovens in the long part, while the table was in the shorter part. He saw Rachelle, Silas' granddaughter standing by the stove.

Silas was in the smaller butler's pantry, next to the table, laying out serving pieces for that night's dinner. He was all set to get the cookies, and then Miz Catherine waved him off, saying she would do it herself. The butler watched out of the corner of her eye as the young woman put the cookies in front of Mr. Nick, along with a pitcher of lemonade and glasses for both of them. She sat down next to him, and then poured some of the cold beverage.

He continued to watch the couple, pleased at how happy Mr. Nick seemed as he ate a cookie. Silas had liked Miz Catherine from the first time he'd seen her, because of how she looked at Mr. Nick, with gentleness. Silas was very close to the young man, and knew what a soft, tender heart he really had in him. He also knew why the young man came across as he did, loud, stubborn, and opinionated.

Mr. Nick had inherited the ranch, and all the responsibility, at a very young age. It bothered Silas that at times; it seemed like no one, with the exception of Mr. Jarrod, understood, or appreciated everything Mr. Nick did. The older man though had watched Miz Catherine these last two months, noticing that she did appreciate him. Silas saw it in how she regarded her husband, and the way she was concerned about his comfort and well being.

Silas' train of thought was broken by Miz Catherine's musical laughter, which filled the room. Mr. Nick had told her something funny; the butler was sure, knowing how entertaining the young man could be. He glanced out the corner of his eye, and saw how close they were sitting together on the bench seat. Mr. Nick looked relaxed, which cheered Silas greatly, because in his opinion, the young man worked too hard. That was something else Silas liked about Miz Catherine, she could get Mr. Nick to relax.

Victoria had come downstairs, and walked into the dining room, expecting to find Silas there. She wanted to remind him about the extra guests they had coming for dinner that weekend. Not seeing him, she headed down the back hall that went to the kitchen area. As she walked closer to the kitchen she heard Nick's booming voice, which reminded her that she needed to talk to him about something she'd seen out riding that morning. Victoria then caught the tail end of Catherine's laugh, and realized that her son wasn't alone. She sighed, and then decided to continue on to the kitchen anyway, wanting to talk to Nick while the issue from the range was fresh in her mind.

"Miz Barkley, you really don't need to be in the kitchen to talk to me. Let's go to the dining room." Silas has seen the woman heading into the kitchen, and decided that it was time for some straight talk. His voice broke her train of thought, as he took her by the elbow and led her in the opposite direction. Victoria was surprised at what he was doing, even as she let him steer her into the dining room.

They arrived in the room with its cream colored brocade and painted panels, elaborate lace curtains, and fine damask table cloth. The silver epergne on the lowboy by the window glowed in the diffused setting sun. Victoria looked at Silas, in his day jacket of starched white linen, while he was almost scowling at her.

"Miz Barkley, you've made your feelings about Miz Catherine very apparent, and that is your right. However, Miz Catherine is Mr. Nick's wife, and that counts for something. There is also the fact that Mr. Nick has been a whole happier since he brought her home, than he ever was before. That should count for a lot with you. The young woman has never been anything other than kind to Mr. Nick." Silas almost scolded the older woman, who was regarding him with consternation. Before Victoria could even open her mouth, the butler was gone, leaving her alone in the dining room.

That evening, during dinner and afterwards, Victoria made it a point to watch Nick and Catherine together. She had been taken aback, and if it had been anyone else besides Silas, she would have been furious too, in how he had talked to her. On further reflection, as she thought about what he'd said about her, Victoria decided she didn't like the light he had portrayed her in.

She had prided herself on trying to be as neutral as possible, towards Catherine. The girl, which is what she was, had so far been well behaved, and settled into life on the ranch nicely. Catherine also, unless she was doing something with Nick, or in town, kept to herself, the older woman had noticed. She had found out that the girl's maid took her breakfast on a tray every morning, which meant she didn't come to the table.

Victoria, sitting in the library after dinner, looked over at the girl, who was sitting on the red velvet sofa working on some needlework. Catherine's dress was turquoise silk, elaborately decorated with ruching and frills in the same material. A matching necklace, earrings, and bracelet of emeralds and diamonds off set the turquoise color dramatically. The older woman knew that the ensemble was the height of fashion, and complimented the dark blonde hair and blue eyes perfectly. Victoria though thought the dress too old for the Catherine, and the emeralds more jewelry than an eighteen year old should be wearing.

Nick was sitting next to Catherine on the sofa, smoking his cigar and looking very content as he did so. Victoria had no problem agreeing with Silas that her middle son had been much happier since he'd brought Catherine home. His social life had changed for the better too; instead of hanging around the saloon so much he now socialized with other young couples in the valley. Victoria was glad that Nick was cleaning up his life, but wished it wasn't for the reasons it was happening.

She looked at the sofa again, and saw that Audra was now talking to her sister-in-law about the needlework she was doing. The design was of a tiger against flowers and foliage that Catherine had said were native to India. She was using cotton, wool, and silk threads for the embroidery, with the different textures giving the piece the impression of depth.

Victoria admired both Catherine's skill with a needle and her patience to sit there doing the delicate stitches required. As she watched the Russian girl's hands work on the tapestry, Victoria discerned what a restful person Catherine was. The older woman had never been good at sitting still, always feeling the need to be involved in direct action and talk.

Catherine though, from what Victoria had seen so far was not like that in the least. Direct action would never be something she would do, or have any interest in. Victoria was surprised that Nick was attracted to someone like Catherine, who would never challenge him. She knew that her son was enjoying having the pretty, well dressed girl around, and the attention she gave him. Even as a baby Nick had liked to be fussed over, Victoria reminded herself, and Catherine was certainly attentive to Nick.

That brought to mind Silas' comments to her earlier, and Victoria wondered why the man had felt the need to make them. She had never thought that Catherine was a bad person, just one who was wrong for her son. It took more than kindness to make a successful marriage, in Victoria's opinion. She looked over at the couple again, and saw Nick put his arm around Catherine's shoulders. She turned her head slightly in response, giving him a soft smile, like some private communication.

Even as Victoria thought that, she remembered where Catherine was from, the circumstance of the marriage, and how old she was. She had never wanted one of her children to end up in an arranged marriage, and certainly hadn't wanted one of her sons to marry a girl who was just barely out of the school room. Victoria didn't see any future for Nick and Catherine, taking those issues into account. In her mind, that settled it, and she put the matter aside.

Unfortunately, the matter had not stayed aside, and that, along with Silas' comments had kept her awake a lot of the night. Victoria had decided that a second opinion was needed, which is why she was now climbing the stairs to Jarrod's office. She took it as a good sign when his clerk said that he was available, and showed her into the office.

"Lovely lady, how nice to see you! What do I owe the honor of this visit to? You're not suing someone are you?" Jarrod inquired, after showing her into his office, and greeting her.

"If I ask you something, will you tell me the truth?" Victoria asked her oldest son, who looked at her with consternation. He became very worried about what she was going to want of him.

"Are my feelings about Catherine apparent? Does Nick know?" She went right to the point, and one of the worries that kept her awake last night. If Silas had seen her feelings about the young woman, would Nick have also, she wondered. It had come to her that if Nick did know, it might strengthen the bond he already had with the Russian girl. Victoria knew too well how protective, and possessive, her middle son was.

Jarrod, when he heard what the subject was, groaned inwardly, while wondering if 10:00 in the morning was too early for a drink. He had thought things were settling down with his mother and Catherine, until now. If she was asking those questions, obviously things were nowhere near settled. He was also curious as to what had caused her to be here asking him about the matter. Jarrod decided to find the answer out to that question, before he answered any of hers.

"Exactly why are you asking, mother?" He speculated that someone must have made a comment that she'd overheard. That idea opened up a multitude of other avenues, but he didn't have time to wander down them, because of the answer she gave him.

"Silas scolded me for my behavior towards Nick's marriage, and Catherine." Victoria hated admitting that, but knew better than to lie to her attorney son. He now had to inwardly chuckle, thinking that it had taken Silas to bring his mother up short. Jarrod knew that all the household staff adored Catherine, and were beyond pleased that not only was Nick married, but to a very high born aristocrat. He would have agreed with his mother's observation, that servants were the worst snobs.

"Mother, the general census, among the valley and the household staff, is that Catherine is the loveliest lady anyone has met, and they all sympathize with her for having mother-in-law troubles." Jarrod decided to put it right out there, not sugar coating the news in any way. She had asked for the truth, and she needed to hear it.

Victoria's eyes flew open wide, as she heard what her oldest son had just told her. She had always told herself that she wouldn't be one of 'those' mother-in-laws, who resented the woman their son married. She had welcomed Beth with open arms, and had been more than gracious to Hester, who deserved none of it.

"Excuse me, the girl was barely eighteen when she married, in a ceremony that her uncle did the equivalent of holding a gun to Nick's head! And everyone thinks I am the problem?" She was almost quivering with anger and rage, as she pondered the unfairness of the situation. If she had been asked her opinion, she would have told Nick, or any of her other sons, to walk away from the land grant. Nothing was worth the price the Governor-General Prince had extracted.

"No one else has a problem with those circumstances Mother. Lots of girls get married at eighteen, in arranged marriages." Jarrod sighed, now really wanting a drink.

"Well I am not anyone else, I am Nick's mother! Would you please answer my question, does he know how I feel?" Victoria was not happy with what she'd learned so far, or where the conversation was going.

"Nick is aware that you have reservations about Catherine, but is hoping that as you get to know her you will come around." Jarrod said, remembering a conversation he and his brother had engaged in several weeks ago. He was impressed with how well Nick was holding his temper about the situation. Jarrod also knew that the only reason why was because it was their mother that was involved.

"Are you telling me he wants her to stay? On the ranch, as his wife?" Victoria was heard what her older son had said, and felt her heart go cold. She knew that that it should not have come as a surprise, thinking about her middle son. Catherine's arrival, with her beauty and pretty clothes, had been to her lonely son like a drink of water to a thirsty man – wanted so badly that neither one cared where it came from.

Jarrod was saved from answering by a knock on the door, which he responded to. His law clerk opened the door and Heath walked into the office. Jarrod had forgotten that his younger brother was going to be dropping off some mining paperwork. He greeted his caller so jovially that the younger man started to look worried.

"Mother stopped by, to discuss Nick and Catherine." Jarrod announced, after Heath had greeted Victoria with a hug. The younger man now knew why his brother had been so glad to see him.

"They seem very happy together, and I don't know if we would have been able to cultivate the grapes this year, if it wasn't for her." Heath offered up, hoping that would help his mother's attitude with the girl. He had in fact been impressed with how well Catherine had managed everything at the blending house.

"Fine, she translated the journal! That still leaves us with the issue that she is a school girl, who has nothing in common with your brother! Nick only married her because he was forced to by her uncle. I don't think that is a good beginning for a marriage!" Victoria huffed, being even more upset that Heath was on Jarrod's side too.

"Mom, she has done a lot more than translate the journal. She has been overseeing the work on the grapes, with the treatments and everything. Haven't you noticed that Catherine is at the blending house every day?" Heath was puzzled, having assumed that Victoria would know what Catherine had been doing.

"Excuse me; you are letting her do all that? What does she know about grapes anyway?" Victoria was now aghast, thinking about the young girl having that much responsibility.

"They grew grapes on her family's estate in southern Russia, where she spent a lot of time. Catherine also spent time on the main estate, in central Russia. She knows a great deal about agriculture, and land management." Heath explained to Victoria in a calm tone. In truth he had been very impressed with Catherine's knowledge.

He had enjoyed the chance to get to know her better, and felt like they were becoming friends. Heath wasn't sure what had changed with Nick, but was glad to have their old relationship back. He and Catherine also talked about religion, which had been enlightening to him. She didn't lecture him, or try to change him, just let him talk about his issues.

"Lovely lady, have you spent any time getting to know her? Or talking about anything besides superficial stuff?" Jarrod peered at here, as he went on "I think you have unfairly painted her with a brush, and shut your mind." Victoria thought that her older son's tone of voice reminded her of Silas.

"Catherine comes from a family of land owners, mother, and she relates to Nick in a way no one else ever has. Nick is not the easiest person to deal with, and he is very obsessed with his land and the protection of it. She doesn't get bothered by his behavior, because in her world, that is how men behave." Jarrod hoped his mother was hearing what he was saying. He had been to Europe several times, and had vivid memories of visiting landowners in Prussia, who took pride in showing the souvenirs of all the invaders they had driven from the family estate.

"Mom, Jarrod is right about Catherine, she does deal with Nick well, and doesn't care how loud he gets. I think they both have feelings for each other." Heath stated, not feeling right in revealing that they were actually in love with each other. Victoria looked from Jarrod to Heath, and thought about what they had just said.

"I will agree that she tolerates his loudness; I've never once seen her jump or flinch when he bellows." She offered, as she pondered the character of her middle son. Victoria also had to give weight to Jarrod's comment, about Catherine coming from a family of landowners. She could see how the girl would understand Nick, and his feelings about the ranch.

"Maybe you could give her a chance, and get to know her? I think she is going to be staying with us, if I know my brother." Jarrod said with a smile, thinking about Nick and his behavior towards Catherine.

"Thank you for pointing out what you did about Catherine, and you're right, I didn't know anything about her background. I need to rectify the situation with her." Victoria informed them, hoping that the girl would be receptive.

"The marriage isn't what you wanted for Nick, Mother, but I think it is what he wants. They are very close already, and he tells her everything that goes on around the ranch. Nick likes her company, and the fact that she is very caring toward him." Jarrod was pleased to see that his mother was coming around on the matter.

"So anything we discuss with him, he will probably talk to Catherine about? And they are close?" Victoria had not thought that the girl knew anything about what happened on the ranch. This new piece of information though changed the dynamics of ranch life. Victoria also wondered if the couple was sharing a bed. If they were, then the marriage couldn't be annulled, but she was uncomfortable having that discussion with Jarrod and Heath.

"I agree with Jarrod, Mom. There have a been couple of times when we're all together, with Nick telling us something about a ranch matter, and you could see that Catherine already knew about it. It is weird too, how they are almost tuned into each other. I don't believe in mind reading, but they have a connection that is hard to explain." Heath voiced the observations he had been noticing ever since he saw Catherine and Nick together.

"Heath is right there. I remember watching them when we were in the hotel in San Francisco, and I thought the same thing that Heath is. They are very supportive of each other too." Jarrod could have told Heath more about that type of connection, because he had been blessed to have that rapport with Beth. He had realized that was why seeing Nick and Catherine together made him think of Beth, and how much he missed her still.

"She is very beautiful, and I can't fault her behavior in any way. I will get to know her, and pray that you all are correct, about her making Nick a good wife." Victoria was hopeful that they were right, and she had been wrong. It still made her sad though, because it wasn't what she had wanted for Nick, or any of her children. On one level she knew that they were all adults, and were going to make their own decisions, and mistakes. However, it was still hard to let go of your dreams hopes for them.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Author's Note: I am posting two chapters back to back, because this chapter is rather dry, but the next one has a lot of stuff in it. It was originally just going to be one chapter; however it would have too long.**_

_**Getting to Know You**_

Victoria had given what Jarrod and Heath had told her a lot of thought, on the ride home from town. That evening she watched Nick and Catherine again, and saw what her other sons had told her. There was a connection there between the couple, rather like some private communication. She remembered how she'd had that same thought the other night about the couple.

She and Tom had had a good marriage in spite of the ups and downs they had encountered. Victoria had always wondered if something had gone on while Tom was doing all the traveling he was twenty-four years ago. It had been a stressful time in their lives, and there had been no affection in their marriage for a while.

They had risked a great deal of money on getting the new businesses going, which meant that money was tight in the short run. Jarrod was eight, Nick was four, and Victoria was trying to raise them, keep house, and help Tom with the bookkeeping for the businesses. She was exhausted most of the time, and when Tom did come home he was too tired from traveling to help out around the house.

Knowing what she knew now, because of Heath's arrival, she saw how she had contributed to the situation with Tom. Her husband had committed physical adultery, but she had been guilty of mental adultery, in pushing him away. That guilt was part of the reason she was able to accept Heath as easily as she did.

As she thought about her marriage now, she was aware that even in the good times she and Tom had not had they type of closeness that Nick and Catherine had. Victoria had also seen it with Jarrod and Beth, which made her reflect on how her two sons had made marriages very different than what their parents had.

The chance to put her plan into place with Catherine came two days after the conversation in Jarrod's office. She was out riding, and passed by the blending house where she saw one of the buggy's from the ranch. Victoria remembered Heath saying that Catherine was there almost every day, so she decided to stop by. As she rode up to the house, she saw Carlos sitting outside on a bench, smoking a cigarette.

Carlos' story was well known to Victoria, and she had not been happy when Nick had decided to put him to work on the ranch. Her son though had liked the man's toughness, and reputation, as well as his loyalty. She knew that while he just appeared to be sitting casually he was in fact aware of everything going on around him. Victoria wondered what Catherine thought of Nick making Carlos escort her everywhere.

She greeted Carlos, who stood and bowed, and then went into the blending house, cool and dim after the bright sunshine outside. She heard Catherine's voice floating into the room, making an inquiry in formal Spanish. The girl then walked into the room, but stopped when she saw Victoria there.

"Good afternoon Victoria; I'm sorry I thought you were Carlos needing something." Catherine explained, as she looked at the older woman. Victoria took note of the girl's clothes, and noticed that they weren't quite as elaborate as what she usually wore. The skirt was a smooth dark brown material, with rows of pleats, and a small bustle. The blouse was cream colored cotton with a pattern woven into it. It had a low, round collar and buttoned in the back. She also noticed that Catherine's hair was put up rather simply, compared to how she normally wore it. The effect was businesslike, but she still looked like the lady of the house. Her only jewelry was some gold drop earrings, and her diamond wedding band.

"He is outside, doing fine. I was riding by and saw the buggy, so I wanted to see how things were going here. I hadn't realized all the work you were putting in here." Victoria replied to Catherine, being rather intrigued at how concerned she was about Carlos. In her mind, Carlos could probably take down a minor stockade and not break a sweat.

"I'm glad he is doing well. He has been such a help to me, navigating around the ranch, and all. I'm grateful for Nicholas for arranging for Carlos to escort me. It is rather a letdown for him, after his time with Don Sanchez, but I have learned so much from him, about the history of California." Catherine responded with a happy note in her voice, which almost amused Victoria. Nick had, his mother was sure, set Carlos up as a body guard to Catherine.

Victoria had been aware of the hurt that Hester's behavior had caused with Nick, even if she had not let on. She had felt bad for Heath being caught in the middle, and angry with Nick for having put the whole thing into motion. It was easy for her to understand why Nick was being so territorial with Catherine, right off the bat. She found it interesting though, to hear the girl's view, of why Carlos was escorting her around.

"I have to be honest, I've never been involved in the grape arbors, and the work with them. It was actually Nick's idea to grow them, and he has always overseen the fields and productions. What kind of things do you do in the blending house?" Victoria said truthfully, as she looked at Catherine. She knew the girl would be suspicious if she suddenly tried to be her best friend, after all this time. The older woman hoped that this approach would work, because she didn't want to alienate her middle son.

"Nicholas told me all about that, and how he established the arbor. Grapes are prone to different fungi, so they need to be treated to prevent it. Depending on how you mix the chemicals, you get different levels of the treatments. However, you have to be careful because you don't want to damage the grape's skin." Catherine explained, as she showed Victoria around the workshop. The older woman was impressed with the girl's knowledge, and asked her how she learned so much.

Catherine explained about her family's estate in the Crimea, what they grew, and the vine master who was from Bordeaux originally. She, along with her cousins, had been very fond of the old man and had spent a lot of time with him. Victoria also learned about her cousin Michael whose first love was wine making, and how he had been killed in Afghanistan. The older woman saw that Catherine still felt the pain of his death.

"Didn't your family have another estate, too?" Victoria asked to change the subject. Catherine explained about the main estate, where she'd been born. That estate grew wheat mostly, and had its own mill and grinding house on it. Victoria had the impression that it was the main estate, and asked the girl about it. She was fascinated about the differences in Russian agriculture, and she remembered what Jarrod had said, about Catherine coming from a family of land owners.

"Yes, Bulovnir was the main estate, where my grandparents lived. However, my uncle and my grandfather did not see eye to eye on most things. It made for better relations if we lived in the Crimea or St. Petersburg depending on the season." Catherine explained, hoping she would not have to go into what kind of a man her grandfather was. Anywhere else but Russia he would have been considered a monster, but most of his countrymen saw him as a strong landholder who ran a tight ship. It was one of the reasons she was glad to be out of Russia.

"You know, I visited St. Petersburg once, a few years ago." Victoria was interested in what Catherine's reaction would be. She also wondered about the tense look she'd seen in the girl's eyes when she mentioned her grandfather. Obviously the relationship between the older man and her uncle ran deeper with animosity than what Catherine was revealing.

"Really? What did you see? And what did you think of it?" Catherine inquired with interest, glad that she was having the chance to talk to Nick's mother as a person. She was also happy that the older woman wasn't treating her with the coolness that she'd previously had been. When she'd walked into the room and seen Victoria her heart had sunk, but she wasn't Duchess Harriet's granddaughter for nothing.

Victoria told her about staying at the American Embassy, shopping along the Nevsky Prospect, and some of the palaces along the Fontanka canal. She talked about how she'd been to the Hermitage, as well as the Winter Palace on a specially arranged tour, but the royal family was not in residence. She had arrived on a ship, and talked about the majestic towers of Reval that overlooked the entrance to the Gulf of Finland.

"It sounds like you saw a great deal of the city, and arrival by ship is very impressive. Did you find the city agreeable?" Catherine always found it illuminating to see what outsiders said about the city known as 'Venice of the North'. She was also impressed with how important Nicholas' family was, based on Victoria's visit.

A number of Americans visited St. Petersburg every year, but few were put up at the Embassy. The American Ambassador in Russia always suffered from not having a grand title or an impressive uniform to display at court events. Those were the things that mattered to Russian society, which made the role hard. However, the man appointed to the job was usually very wealthy, with some kind of European connection to smooth everything over. Victoria had been given the absolute maximum accommodation she could be given, without having a title, or a personal connection to a member of the nobility.

"Catherine, I will be honest with you; I did not care for the city. I found it overly large, cold, and impersonal, with little thought given to ordinary people who lived and worked there." Victoria replied, not wanting to mince words with the girl. She was going to be truthful, and wanted to see how Catherine received her opinion.

"You are very perceptive Victoria. Most people who visit St. Petersburg only see the beautiful palaces, the glittering ball rooms, and the lavish lifestyle. For the majority of people, like most of Russia, it is not a pleasant place." Catherine replied to her, impressed that her mother-in-law had seen through the glamorous façade of the city.

"Why do you think that is?" Victoria queried the girl, wanting to hear how she would explain the conditions in Russia.

"That is a question that is debated, very privately, by a number of people in Russia. Asking it openly can get you arrested, without a warrant. There are people who say that the lack of freedom contributes to the problem. There is also the issue of the workers, who used to be serfs, which is what the slaves were called. Of course, the Tsar has absolute power, which leads to lots of corruption in the government." Catherine laid out some of the conditions that existed in her country.

"I understand that freeing the slaves, or serfs as you said, did not help them, and in lots of cases actually made their lives worse." Victoria had heard many stories of atrocities against the workers while she was in Russia, which had sickened her.

"The Tsar had a grand plan, but only parts of it were finally put into place. The serfs were freed, but the other safe guards and protections were not in acted, so it left the freed workers worse off. A number of old line nobles were against freeing the serfs and they made sure that the proclamation turned into a worthless piece of paper. My grandfather was one of those nobles, while my uncle was a strong supporter of freedom. He was sure that by given people their freedom it would strengthen Russia and build its industry. It turned into a nasty family fight, which is why we lived in the Crimea. The story though was not uncommon in other families too." Catherine had not meant to give such a long explanation, but she wanted Victoria to know that there were good people in Russia.

"This country fought a war for four years that tore families apart too, over the same issue. I have been given to understand that for the freed slaves in our south, their lives have not always improved either. An abomination like slavery can't be cleaned up overnight I guess." Victoria told Catherine, thinking about several families she knew back east, who could tell the same story that the Russian girl was telling. She had another thought and asked "Is your uncle still active in trying to improve the country?"

"After his son, my cousin Michael was killed in Afghanistan, he gave up on Russia. It is why he married my cousin Sophie off to a German, and sent me to my grandparents in British India. He will tell you that Russia is rotting from the inside out." Catherine's voice had a resigned note in it, and Victoria saw that she was close to her uncle, sharing his feelings.

"Catherine, if you don't mind me asking why didn't you stay in India? What brought you to Alaska?" Victoria was curious as to what had set into play the events that eventually brought the girl to California. She was impressed with the answers the girl had given her, about the state of things in Russia, and the problems there. Victoria saw a maturity in Catherine, and it gave her pause to think about where it had come from.

"The short version is my grandmother." Catherine answered, as a rueful look crossed her face, before she continued "My mother was my grandmother's only daughter, having three other sons. She never forgave my mother for marrying a Russian, and doesn't particularly like me. One of my English cousins was in India at the same time I was, and her engagement was about to be announced. The man in question decided he preferred me, which did not go over well with my grandmother, as you can imagine. She decreed it was for the best if I left, and since my uncle was in Alaska that was the easiest to get to."

Victoria privately thought that Catherine's grandmother sounded like a cold, horrid woman. She wasn't going to say that though, knowing you can't do anything about your relatives. She also wondered about the woman's husband, but was willing to bet he was under his wife's thumb.

"I'm sorry about bringing that up, Catherine. Family relations are not always easy or pleasant. I'll let you get back to work, but I enjoyed our conversation about Russia. It is nice to talk to someone who is well informed and observant." Victoria was pleased with the way the morning had gone, and she now saw the girl in a whole new light.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Author's Note: This is the explicit version of the chapter, and it is more detailed than the one posted on 'The Writing Desk'. **_

Nick was sitting in church on Sunday, with his arm around Katarina, and not paying attention to the sermon. He was catching faint whiffs of the floral scent she wore, and all he could think about was moving his face closer to her neck, to fully smell it. Lately he had been spending a lot of time thinking about what he'd like to do with Katarina, which was causing mayhem with his mental processes.

He was pleased with the progress he was making, in pursuing her, going very slowly as he did so. Nick was also thrilled to notice, over the last couple of days, a change in his mother's attitude to Katarina. Victoria spoke to her warmly, and he'd even seen the two women in conversation one day, in the garden. He was hopeful that everything was going to work out, but wished that it wasn't the start of a busy three weeks for him. Nick was also hoping that she would like what he had planned for after church.

When the service was over Katarina was puzzled, as Nick took her arm, and let everyone else get out of the church. She had enjoyed being next to Nick, and having his arm around her, only wishing that she could have snuggled close to him in response. Katarina couldn't figure out what was going on with him, or whether he was developing feelings for her. There had been several times when she'd thought he'd been on the verge of kissing her, but nothing had come of it. She really wished she had her great-aunt Tatiana or her cousin Sophie to talk to about it.

"Nicholas, what is happening?" She asked Nick in a low voice, as she moved closer to him. Her coming next to him gave him a strong whiff of the floral scent, and it took everything he had not to put his arms around her.

"I have a surprise planned, Katarina, and I hope you'll like it. Let's go straight back to the house, we can change, and then I want to take you on a picnic." Nick put the idea out there, and watched as her face lit up.

"What a lovely idea Nicholas! Oh, but won't your family be upset if we miss Sunday dinner?" The Barkleys always had their big meal around 1:00pm on Sundays she knew. Nick chuckled as he took her arm, to lead her out the side door of the church.

"Actually, with the exception of Audra we will be greatly envied for missing the meal. My sister has taken it into her head to cook." He informed her, and she understood what he meant. Katarina did not understand why a girl like Audra wanted to learn how to cook, since she was from a wealthy family. In her private opinion, Nick's sister would do better to spend her time working on the appearance of her hair.

"Audra has told me about some of her past experiences in the kitchen, but I guess she doesn't want to give up yet." Katarina flashed her dimple at him, as they left the church. Using the door to the side of the altar they missed the crowd out front standing around socializing.

There was great excitement among the people visiting after the service. The new headmaster for the Stockton Boy's Academy had arrived in town earlier in the week. He, along with his family had come to the service. In addition to his wife and teenage son, the man also had a daughter who was in her early twenties. It had been known that she was going to be teaching at the public elementary school, and there was great interest in the family.

Heath had come to church this Sunday, the first time in quite a while, and it was Catherine's doing. They talked about religion a great deal, and he had decided to give church another chance. He looked around for her and Nick, but didn't see either one of them. Reverend Thompson had not made a big fuss about him being at church, which had pleased Heath. However, he would have liked Catherine here for moral support if nothing else.

As he was scanning the milling people he caught the eye of a young woman; a very pretty young woman. Heath saw some light brown hair not hidden by her old fashioned hat, large brown eyes, and a shy smile. Their eyes met for a moment, and then he noticed her flushing slightly before she turned away. Heath was suddenly not interested in finding Catherine and Nick, and started moving over to where the young woman was standing.

"Heath, come meet the Aldersons! He is the new headmaster for the boy's academy." Victoria had seen Heath approaching, and waved him over. She had been pleased when he had decided to join them at church this morning.

"This is Barton Alderson, his wife Dorothea, their son Jonas, and their daughter Susannah. This is my son Heath." Victoria performed the introductions, noticing the way her son was looking at Susannah. The young woman was pretty, Victoria thought, but obviously very shy. She wondered how the woman did teaching young children.

"It is nice to meet you all. Are you finding Stockton to your liking?" Heath tipped his hat as he spoke, wishing the young woman wasn't looking down at the ground. He noticed that she had a nice figure, in spite of the drab clothing she was wearing. Heath also noticed that her mother was dressed in the same simple, old fashioned way.

As they talked he discerned that Barton Alderson was a stern man from New England, who thought that women should be seen and not heard. Heath didn't care either for the disapproving way Dorothea was looking at the brightly dressed women of the congregation. He had a silent chuckle wondering what she would make of Heath's sister-in-law.

"I was disappointed to learn that the town does not have a Methodist church in it. While I have nothing against the Episcopal Church, I would prefer a Methodist service." Barton Alderson announced in a displeased tone as Reverend Thompson came up to the group.

"Mr. Alderson, I understand where you are coming from but right now you are stuck with us. I actually have several Lutherans in the congregation too, but we make it work." The prelate said with a smile, as he asked the older man several questions about the Methodist faith. Heath was glad about that, because it gave him the chance to talk to Susannah.

"Miss Alderson, are you enjoying Stockton?" Heath asked the young woman, who looked up at him with a startled look.

"Yes, it is very pleasant and I understand that it isn't as cold as New Hampshire, where I'm from." She offered up, and Heath smiled encouragingly as he asked her some more questions. It turned out that she would be teaching in the public elementary school, having trained at a teaching college back east. He was debating asking if he could see her again, but before he could her father excused himself and left, taking his family with him. Audra had watched the whole thing, and was looking forward to teasing Heath about his interest in the girl later, at dinner.

At the house Nick was waiting in the hall for Katarina to come down, hoping she would hurry so they could leave before everyone else returned. He only wanted her company this afternoon, and he really did not want to have to eat Audra's cooking. Silas had already put the picnic basket in the buggy, and Nick had retrieved a bottle of white wine from the cellar and wrapped it in a cloth that was cold from the ice house.

"Nicholas, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." Katarina's lilting voice came from the top of the stairs and Nick turned to look at her. His took on a delighted smile as he saw how beautiful she looked. Her skirt was bright blue, with a big bow at the back instead of a bustle. Her blouse was white, and decorated with blue velvet ribbon threaded through eyelet trim. Her dark blonde hair was elaborately put up, with a blue bow nestled at the top. The thought came to him again, that she looked just like a present, all wrapped up for him.

"Considering how wonderful you look it was worth it. I have to say that the flowers in the meadow are going to be very jealous when they see you." Nick told her, as he held out his arm to her. Katarina came over and took his arm, as he led her out to the buggy. She was curious as to where on the ranch they were going, but he said it would be a surprise.

The ride took about half an hour, during which Katarina sat close to Nick as they chatted about the service. Nick had been warned by her ahead of time, about Heath coming, so he'd been careful not to make a big deal out of it. Now though he asked her about how she'd convinced his younger brother to come to church. Nick enjoyed hearing her answer, and was very glad that he had listened to Jarrod.

They also discussed the new headmaster and his family, who they had seen in church. Katarina had thought the man's wife and daughter were dressed very plainly. Nick agreed with her, but explained about the puritans who settled New England. She was familiar with the geography of America, and knew some of the history too, so she understood what he was explaining. She told him though that she didn't think God wanted religion to be boring, which had made him laugh.

"Nicholas, it is like a carpet of flowers!" Katarina exclaimed as they arrived at the secluded meadow. A small branch of the river ran through the middle of it, and several pretty willows provided shade. There was a riot of multi-colored flowers that covered the whole area. The blue sky with several white puffy clouds completed the spring scene.

This had always been one of Nick's favorite places on the ranch, and he'd been sure that she would like it to. He was pleased when she gave him a hug, as she enthused about how beautiful the area was. He helped her down from the buggy, and then went to unload it. Nick passed her a blanket that she spread under one of the trees, while he took care of the picnic basket.

"What did Silas and Rachelle pack us?" Katarina asked, after they were seated on the blanket. She was distracted when Nick brought out the bottle of wine, and proceeded to open it. The label indicated it had been produced on the ranch she noticed.

"This is from two years ago, and is one of our better vintages." Nick informed her, after she'd asked him about the wine. By now the food was spread out, and he poured the wine into some glasses and passed one to her.

"Katarina, how do you say 'cheers' in Russian?" Nick enquired, as he raised his glass. The gold liquid caught a ray of the sun, deepening the hue of the wine. He looked at her, with her blue eyes sparkling and her soft pink lips as he asked.

"Nostrovia! That is the closet equivalent to cheers, and Russians say that before they take a shot of vodka." Katarina answered as she flashed her dimple at him. He was so handsome and kind too, she thought as he said the Russian word. They clinked their glasses, and drank some of the wine.

"Mmm, very nice. I like the slight citrus under note there. It is a nice balance between sweet and dry." She remarked, and they discussed the wine crop from that year while they ate the lunch. There was chicken, a potato and vegetable salad of some type, and rolls with butter. Nick had been excited to see some of the chocolate cookies he liked in the basket also.

"Nicholas, your mother came by the blending house the other day." Katarina mentioned, as they were finishing up lunch. She had not had the chance to tell Nicholas about it until now. He gave her an interested look, as he offered he some more wine which she took.

"Did you have a nice visit?" Nick was very curious now, and wondered if that was the cause of the thaw in her attitude towards Katarina.

"Actually we did! We chatted about the grapes, and then she asked me about Russia. She told me about her visit to St. Petersburg, and what she'd thought of it. We finished up with her asking about my family; it was all very pleasant. Your mother is a very perceptive woman." Katarina had enjoyed the chance to talk to the older woman, and she knew that it never hurt to compliment a man's mother.

"I had noticed, the last couple of days a change in her attitude towards you, and I was glad to see it." Nick confided in a low voice, adding "Katarina, I have really admired how you have put up with everything you've had to the last couple of months. I'm sure it hasn't been easy for you, but you've never complained once." Nick hoped she knew that his words were sincere; he couldn't imagine any of the other women he'd known being as gracious as Katarina had been in dealing with his mother.

"Nicholas, I think she is just looking out for you; it is what mother's do. You really can't blame her for wondering about this foreigner who shows up married to her son. I also know all about her opinions of arranged marriages and girls who should still be in the school room." Katarina gave him a reassuring smile, and then flashed her dimple as she said the last sentence.

Nick sighed, having heard in the past his mother's well vocalized sentiments on that subject. He realized now that since Katarina had arrived on the ranch he'd not heard his mother make her usual remarks. At least not in his hearing, he corrected to himself, being sure that she'd made them to the rest of the family. He also knew that was a lot of the cause of her coolness toward Katarina, well, in addition to being Russian. Nick looked at her sitting across from him, and saw her dimple.

"My mother has rather strong opinions about certain matters. Did she say anything to you?" Nick queried casually, trying to figure out how Katarina knew his mother's views.

"Hardly! Other people though, in not so many words have let me know her thoughts." She giggled, and then reached out her hand to his arm "Nicholas, its fine and everyone is entitled to their opinion. It is rather refreshing actually, as most mothers want to get their daughters presented as soon as possible, and then arrange a decent marriage for them." She reassured him in a matter of fact tone that he found intriguing, so he asked about it.

"Marriages are almost always arranged in Europe, Nicholas. My aunt and uncle arranged my cousin Sophie's marriage, because they wanted her out of Russia. The only reason my uncle went against the Tsar on my marriage was because the man had an unsavory reputation." Katarina was puzzled as to why he would think it unusual, but decided privately that maybe he thought like his mother did. That thought depressed her, because she knew that Nick would not have married her if he'd been given a choice.

"When you get to England, won't you be able to fall in love with someone of your choosing?" Nick had always assumed that she was against arranged marriages, but listening to her now it sounded like she was accepting of the idea. His question to her was answered with a burst of musical laughter.

"Oh, no, not at all. My aunt and uncle will pick someone out for me. That is how it is done for girls like me." Katarina didn't understand why he was looking at her strangely, with a faraway look in his eye.

In fact Nick was processing what she had just said, trying to absorb the meaning of it. He had assumed that once she arrived in England she would have freedom, and the chance to find someone she loved. However, it didn't sound like that was the case which in a perverse way cheered him. If she fell in love with him, her life would be better in the valley than it would be in England. That idea made him feel better about his plan for her.

"Of course my grandparents will have the final say, which really means my grandmother. Grandfather is a pet, but totally under her thumb!" Katarina tossed her head as she said it, and Nick remembered the story of why she was in Alaska in the first place. Her next sentence totally caught him off guard though.

"I am sure that is why my grandfather has a mistress, because my grandmother is a raging bitch." Katarina thought of several other words to describe the woman, but didn't voice them, being too busy looking at the reaction on Nick's face.

"You know your grandfather has a mistress?" Nick was boggled at how casually she had mentioned it, and that she even knew about it in the first place.

"Nicholas, when you told me about Heath, on the train, I told you that Russian society was rather fast. I know about those kinds of things. As far as my grandfather, I had heard some gossip at the Russian embassy one day, and then I saw them together. She is this beautiful native woman with long dark hair; rather young too. Don't get me wrong, I don't approve of adultery but my grandmother is so awful to everyone that I'm glad my granddad has some happiness in his life." Katarina had been aware of the facts of life since she was fourteen, due to great-aunt Tatiana, and she took it all in stride.

Nick wasn't going to say anything about her grandfather, since his father had done the same thing. It still bothered him at times that Tom Barkley had done what he'd done with Heath's mother. He still couldn't imagine how his father had ever justified it, since the marriage had always appeared good to the family. However, he was old enough to know that you never what went on behind someone else's closed door.

"I don't approve of adultery either Katarina, and I still have some anger at what my father did." Nick had never talked to anyone else about this before, but suddenly felt the need to. She gave him a quizzical look, and then saw pain in his eyes. Knowing how loyal he was, Katarina was sure that his father's behavior had been a major blow in his life.

"Someone once said that the most difficult thing for a child is to understand that their parent is not just a parent, but also a person. It sounds like your father was a wonderful parent, even if he made some wrong choices as a person." Katarina reached over and hugged Nicholas, who put his arms around her shoulders. He sighed heavily, as he drew her tight against him. It had felt good to admit to someone, out loud, his anger at his father.

"Thank you Katarina, for listening and knowing what to say to make me feel better." Nick replied, suddenly feeling tired. He told her that, as he leaned back against the tree. Katarina laid her head on his chest and giggled slightly.

"It is because we had wine with lunch, very good wine! The reason why the Italians and Spanish always take naps in the afternoon is because they all drink wine at lunch." She moved to get comfortable against him, feeling slightly drowsy too. She told him that, and he murmured in response while she inhaled the scent she associated with him. Pretty soon his even breathing told her that he was asleep, and she nodded off also.

It was over an hour later when Nick woke up, smelling Katarina's floral scent as he moved his head slightly. He replayed the afternoon in his mind, recalling how she came to be sleeping with her head on his chest. Nick smiled happily, both at the memory of their conversation, and how nice it was to have her snuggled up with him.

"Katarina, hey Katarina." He repeated her name, while lightly rubbing her shoulder. Katarina was still half asleep as she felt Nick move slightly. She didn't want to lose his warmth or scent, and instinctively she raised her head slightly, to nuzzle against his neck as she tightened her arms around his waist.

Nick almost groaned as he felt his body respond to what Katarina was doing to him. He felt her eyelashes lightly brush his neck in one place, and he imagined what it would feel like if she kissed the same spot. He moved his head so his lips were against her ear.

"Sugar, you need to wake up." He used the endearment without thinking, being too wrapped up in how good it felt to have her with him. After he spoke the words he felt an irresistible urge to lightly kiss her ear, which he did.

Katarina had been enjoying the way his skin felt against her face as she slowly woke up. She heard him call her sugar, and then was distracted by the soft kisses he was putting on her ear, and then trailing down her neck. She adjusted her body to give him more access to her neck, and was rewarded by his tongue tracing light patterns all the places he had kissed. A small moan escaped her lips as he found the pulse spot on her neck.

Her response to his kisses had been intense, and Nick found himself tasting her skin before he realized what he was doing. She tasted so good, and the skin was soft like ice cream on his tongue. His lips had made it down to her pulse spot, as his tongue slipped beneath the collar of her blouse to lick the spot in time to her racing heart.

When he heard her small moan the control on his desire slipped even more, causing him to move his lips to hers. They were soft, pink, and slightly parted and as he started kissing her he felt the same passion between them that he'd experienced the night of his birthday party. Nick let his tongue plunder her mouth, and was rewarded by her tongue responding eagerly to his.

Katarina had waited so long for him to kiss her again, and had hoped that it would be as good as the last time he had. As the feelings of desire and hunger flooded her body, she decided that the second time was even better. Her brain shut down as she moved her body to get as much of it as possible in contact with his.

Nick's hands were on her back, and one found its way to the nape of her neck, slowly stroking into her hair as he kissed her harder and deeper. The other hand moved down her back, to her waist, and then over her rear end. He let it rest against the curve before he let his fingers graze the back of her thigh.

She felt his hand move down her back, and when it reached her thigh she felt a jolt of lightening hit her core. It caused her to move against him in a primal need that her body seemed to need badly. Nick's lips drifted from hers, to her jaw line where they left feathery light wet kisses. Katarina was almost beyond thinking when she thought she heard a voice calling Nick's name. She shifted her head slightly, and heard the voice again; sounding like it was coming from the left side of the meadow. There was a grove of trees there, making it hard to see if anyone was in there. The voice called again, louder, and she was sure that someone was there, which made her sit up in a startled move.

Nick had felt her pull away slightly, but he had tried to pull her back, being very aroused by the way she had been rubbing against him. He knew that she was as aroused as he was, and at the back of his mind he thought he should stop before they went too far. It was hard to put that thought into action though, as the feel of her overwhelmed his good intentions.

"I think someone is calling you Nicholas." Katarina whispered, as she sat up while straightening her clothes. She'd heard Nick groan as she had pulled away, and it caused her to smile at his reaction.

"It had better be the fucking end of the world!" Nick muttered, as he sat up also, upset at being interrupted. He watched Katarina edge over to the middle of the blanket, where the food was, while looking at him with a bemused look on her face. He noticed her eyes were slightly unfocused, and that she was still breathing hard through softly parted pink lips. Nick loved seeing her like that, knowing that he was the cause of her reaction.

Just then Heath, on horseback, came into the meadow, from the grove of trees, calling Nick's name. Katarina had her back to the rider, and was facing Nick who saw the look of annoyance cross her face. He couldn't blame her for how she felt, but decided it was probably for the best that they'd been disturbed. Nick wanted her to want to stay on the ranch because she was in love with him, not forced to stay because they'd slept together.

Heath rode up to the couple sitting sedately on the blanket, making it a point to keep a poker face. This was the second time he'd ridden into the meadow, the first having been several minutes earlier. One of the top brood mares had gone into foal, and was having some problems. Nick had left specific instructions that he wanted to be informed if there were any complications. Heath had found out, from Miguel where Nick was.

The first time he had ridden into the meadow, all set to say something when he saw Nick kissing Catherine, who, from his vantage point, looked like she was enjoying it. Heath had quietly left the open area, going back to the grove of trees that screened his view. He wished he didn't have to bother the couple, but knew that Nick would have a fit if something happened to the mare. That was when he started calling Nick's name in the trees, pretending to be looking for him.

"Nick, there you are. Hello Catherine." Heath tipped his hat at her, and she turned around to look at him. Nick gave him a cross look before he asked what was going on.

"Brandywine has started foaling, and it is not going well. You might want to get back to the barn." Heath explained everything that had happened to the mare so far, and Nick looked very concerned as he announced that they would start back right now. Heath smiled at the couple, and then said his goodbyes as he rode off.

"Katarina, I'm sorry about this but the mare has had troubles foaling before, and I need to be there." Nick informed her, and she nodded understandingly.

"It is all right Nicholas. Let's get his packed up so you can get to the barn quicker." Katarina helped him gather everything up, asking questions about the horse as she did so. On the way back to the barn she sat very close to him, while he told her about his hopes for the foal. In the back of his mind he was thinking about their time on the blanket, and how she had responded to his advances. He hoped that she would fall in love with him before he lost all control and seduced her. Thinking that reminded him of what time of year it was.

"Listen, I have to tell you something, but I don't want you to be upset." Nick's voice had a serious note in it, and he was surprised to see Katarina regard him with apprehension. In fact she was afraid that he was going to tell her that he hadn't meant to kiss her, back there in the meadow or anything else that he'd done. She struggled to put a calm expression on her face as she waited for him to continue.

"This time of the year, late May, I have to go out to the far side of the ranch, to oversee operations there. It means that I'll be gone for probably a week or so, and then I'll be back for a day or to restock, before I go back. Unfortunately, that is going to cut into my time with you, Katarina." Nick's voice was sorrowful, but he had not been out to the far range for several months and he wanted to see for himself how the operations were going.

"Nicholas, I understand of course. I'll miss you, but will keep busy in the blending house. Do you have to sleep outside?" Katarina was curious as to what kind of accommodation he would have. Nick told her about the far range, and the small bunkhouse there. He told her that the cook there wasn't that good, and that he'd be ready for a good meal when he came home.

Arriving at the barn she told him she would take the basket back to the kitchen, so he could get to the mare. He smiled in thanks, and then smiled even more when she reached up and kissed him on the cheek before she turned away. Entering the barn he went over to the foaling stall, and started monitoring the progress.

It was several more hours before, with Nick's help; Brandywine delivered a long legged, chestnut brown colt. The little foal had four white socks and a white mark on its forehead that almost looked like a wine glass. Heath and the other hands that were there congratulated Nick, and then asked what he was going to name the new colt.

"Nostrovia!" Nick announced with a big grin, while everyone else looked puzzled at the name. Heath asked him about the choice, and what it meant.

"It means 'cheers' in Russian, which is very appropriate in my opinion." Nick declared in his booming voice with a happy laugh. Heath, thinking about what he'd seen in the meadow agreed, laughing but not for the reason that Nick thought he was.


	16. Chapter 16

Katarina was in the dining room having lunch with everyone but Nicholas, who'd been gone for over a week now. The morning after their picnic she had woken up to find a note from him under her door. The foaling had gone late, and he regretted not being able to say goodbye to her. He did tell her about the new colt, and what he'd named it in honor of their picnic that he had enjoyed. Katarina had smiled happily when she'd read that, and his added comment that he would like to take her on another one.

She wished he'd been there in person because she would have told him yes, adding that maybe this time they wouldn't get interrupted. Katarina still felt her breath coming fast when she thought about how Nicholas had held and kissed her. She was sure that it had been pleasurable for him also, and maybe propelled him closer to being in love with her. To keep her mind off of the issue she'd visited the new foal every day, feeling a special bond with him.

"Catherine, do you think Nick will be back in time for tonight's party?" Audra inquired which made her focus on lunch. He had mentioned in his note that he'd thought he would only be gone for a week, but obviously it was going to be longer than that. She told her sister-in-law that, while privately thinking how much she missed him. Catherine was lonely without Nicholas coming up for coffee every morning, and the chats they had. The house was too quiet without him, and she was craving his physical presence in the worst way.

"Can you believe the Harrington's were able to get Jozef Pocsi to do a private performance for their party? He has played for the Austrian Emperor I read in the paper. He is certainly good looking, if his picture is accurate." Audra gushed, while Heath rolled his eyes. The only positive point to the evening, in his opinion, was that Susannah would be present. He'd managed to accidently run into her twice, in town, and both times had gone well.

Katarina wanted to roll her eyes to, but not for the same reason as Heath was. Jozef Pocsi was a master Hungarian violinist, who had played all the great concert halls of Europe. He had long flowing auburn hair, almost violet eyes, and was considered to be very handsome. She knew though the real reason he was touring America, and performing at private parties. He had been caught naked between the sheets with an heir to one of the great Austrian noble families.

The young man's father, an exalted prince, holder of the 'Golden Fleece' and personal ADC to Emperor Franz Jozef had seen to the violinist being banned from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It had snowballed, and soon the musician was persona non-grata at every royal court in Europe. All the noble houses followed suit, leaving no audience to listen to the maestro.

Meanwhile the hapless heir had been married off to a penniless third cousin, and exiled to the family estate in the Carpathian Mountains. Katarina had heard from her cousin Sophie that until the young man sired a son, his father had ordered him to stay there. Since the senior prince had the ear of the Holy Roman Emperor, the decree was absolute. Sophie's mother-in-law's sister was married to the German Ambassador to Austria-Hungry, so Katarina trusted the information.

She made a mental note to include details of the party in her next letter to her cousin, wondering if the young man was still stuck in the mountains. Katarina was also looking forward to telling Nicholas the whole story, so they could laugh at all the women who would be throwing themselves at the musician. He would enjoy the story she knew, and not be shocked in the least about it, being a man of the world. She had no doubt that Nicholas knew about men like that, since they were everywhere.

Katarina debated saying something to Audra, but wasn't sure what the girl really grasped about men and women. There were times that Audra seemed to be very knowledgeable, but other times she sounded as clueless as Katarina's English cousin. Katarina decided that maybe tomorrow she would sound her sister-in-law out, and see what her impressions were after meeting the master musician in person.

"I have heard that Owen Winters is attending tonight's performance." Katarina decided to get Audra to focus on the here and now. She felt bad for the girl, still not married when all of her friends were. Nick's sister had told her about two romances that she'd had, which had not worked out. Victoria had mentioned that she wanted to take Audra to Europe next winter, and Katarina had already decided that if Owen didn't work out she would see to it that her English relations rolled out the red carpet for the young woman.

"Nathan Winters' son, that is right! Ah, I am impressed dear sister, as he is the most eligible bachelor in the city." Jarrod exclaimed, remembering now Nick talking to the older man at the party last month. He then started to worry, because he knew all about Owen and hoped that Audra wasn't going to get hurt.

"It is hardly like that Jarrod! I danced with him at Nick's birthday party, and we talked about my work with the orphans here. His mother is on the board of directors for an orphanage in San Francisco that he makes contributions to. I think he was just being polite." Audra had heard all about what a catch Owen was, and felt bad for the young man. She knew what it was like to feel like you were the grand prize to be won.

"I have to say that you never know with men like Owen, quite frankly. So many of these 'great catches' are anything but. My cousin Sophie had one after her; the man had title, money, and his mother was a niece of the Tsar. He was duller than dish water, and made watching paint dry look interesting. However, even spending a little time with Owen will make any number of people take notice." Katarina smiled at her sister-in-law as she said that, wanting to diffuse any anxiety the girl might have picked up from talking to other people.

Victoria had been listening to the conversation, and appreciated what Catherine was doing. She had heard from Abigail Winter's best friend that Owen had been intrigued with Audra. The man liked the fact that the young woman talked to him like a normal person, and didn't want to marry him. Victoria was still not comfortable with what she'd heard about his activities, but then she thought about Nick and his activities until he had married.

The older woman was becoming friends with Catherine, as they spent more time together. Victoria had travelled a great deal, and appreciated talking to someone with a cosmopolitan outlook on life. At first she was still bothered at how young the Russian girl was, but then she found out that Catherine had been presented at court when she was sixteen. The older woman knew from her travels that that was the norm for continental society.

She took into account Catherine's experiences in dealing with the turmoil in her family, and Russia, as well as losing a much loved family member. Victoria knew enough about life to understand that those kinds of events provided more growth and maturity than any number of years did.

There was also the fact that the young woman was always deferential and polite to her, in spite of having a very grand title. It took a great deal of character, Victoria knew, to show the grace and humility that Catherine did. Several of her friends had told her stories of how their daughter-in-laws had treated them, and somehow she couldn't see the Russian girl engaging in that type of petty behavior.

By 6:00pm that evening Nicholas was not back, so Catherine assumed he would be out longer than he'd planned on. She knew the intricacies of overseeing far flung land holdings, and how things that had not been known about before suddenly became big issues. Katarina felt bad, because she'd been hoping that Nicholas would be home early enough that he could have a decent meal, after a week of bad food.

Nina had laid out her clothes, while she took a bath and washed her hair, loving the private bathroom her room had. Katarina was glad that Nicholas had taken her comfort into account with her room arrangement. It brought home to her what a kind, considerate man he was, and how blessed she was.

Sitting at the dressing table Katarina watched in the mirror as Nina worked with her damp hair, transforming it into an elaborate up do of waves, with curls at the back of her neck. Her dress was silk, with graduations in color from pale pink, to pink, to lavender, to purple at the hem. The whole ensemble was covered in AB crystals that reflected rainbow colors under the light. The dress had a very low v-cut neckline and Katarina's jewelry was a choker, earrings, and bracelets of pink topaz with diamond accents.

There was a knock on her door, and she nodded her head at Nina to answer it. When the door opened Nicholas stood there, in his ranching clothes. She jumped up from the chair and practically launched herself at him, hugging his body tightly. Katrina was surprised at her reaction to him, feeling like she could not get close enough to him. His body was warm, and hard against hers, which made her center feel very hot.

"Wow, if this is all for me I am beyond impressed Katarina. You look amazing!" Nick was blown away by how desirable she looked, and the low cut the neckline on her dress. He took in the whole effect and wished he wasn't so tired after his time on the range. The way she looked, and the feel of her body against him was almost too much for him to cope with.

He stepped back, suddenly being aware that he'd not had a proper bath in almost a week. Nick had meant to get cleaned up first, but couldn't wait to see her any longer. Katarina had been in his thoughts all week, and he almost hurt, he missed her company so much. Nick knew that physical desire was part of the attraction. However, he also was longing for the chance to talk to her, to share what had been going on with the far range. One night, while looking up at the stars it came to him that not only did he love her, but she was also his best friend.

Nick was standing just inside the room; all set to say something when a high pitched sequel came from down the hall. Audra had heard her brother's loud voice and wanted to welcome him home. She came barreling into the room, giving him a big hug as she did so.

"Nick, it is wonderful to see you! And you made it back in time for the Harrington's party! Can you believe they have the world's best violinist playing for them?" The girl continued to go on in that vein for several minutes, her voice getting higher as she went on.

Katarina saw Nicholas looking at his sister, trying to comprehend what the girl was saying. She looked closer at her husband, and saw the circles under his eyes, as well as how stiff he was standing. Katarina remembered what he'd told her about the small bunk house on the far range, as well as the hours he would be putting in during his time out there. She was sure that he had spent the last week working hard, and wanted to do nothing more than relax at home. Her great-aunt's advice about what men wanted on leave from the battle front would, Katrina was sure, apply to Nicholas now too.

"Audra, of course he hasn't forgotten! However, he needs to clean up and get ready for the evening." Katarina declared in almost dulcet tones, as she took a closer look at her sister-in-law. Her hair wasn't done yet, and she decided on a course of action to get Audra out of her room. The girl was looking at her startled, not understanding why Katarina and Nick weren't looking pleased.

"Nina, would you be willing to help Miss Audra finish getting ready?" Katarina glanced over at her maid, who understood the situation perfectly. That distracted the girl from talking to Nicholas about the evening. Audra was suddenly over the moon at getting her hair properly done, and even happier as Nina smiled at her; they left the room, with the maid giving Katarina a knowing look.

"Katarina what was she talking about?" Nick asked, trying to sort out what his sister had been saying, about some party. As much as he loved his sister he had not been thrilled when she'd come down the hall. He had only wanted to see Katarina, and talk to her by herself. It reminded him of the night of his birthday party, when Audra's appearance had interrupted them.

"The Harrington's are having their musical evening tonight, with the Hungarian violinist." Katarina answered Nicholas' question with a smile, while she watched him process what she'd said.

"No, isn't that tomorrow night? Today is Thursday, right?" He was quite confused, and bone tired on top of it. She walked up to him and put her arms around him, not caring that he was dusty and dirty. Nick put his arms around her without a second thought, thinking how great she smelled. He liked how welcoming she was to him, and how nicely she'd dealt with his sister, to give them time alone.

"Oh Nicholas, today is Friday." She informed him, suddenly wishing it was Thursday so they could stay home. She could feel the weight of his body next to hers, and she sensed the tiredness in him. By now she knew, from all their talks, the amount of work he put in, to keep the ranch running. Nicholas, in her opinion, need quiet, calm, a good meal, along with a comfortable bed. There was another thought at the back of her mind, regarding what he needed, which made her smile.

"I guess I lost a day out there, I'm sorry. Let me go get changed." He sighed, and removed his arms from around her. She looked at him, and felt bad about the evening. Katarina thought about saying that they didn't need to go, but he would just think she was being nice. However, an idea popped into her head, so she gave Nicholas a sympathetic smile.

"Listen, there is plenty of time. Why don't you take a bath, and then a nap for a bit? I'll come get you before we have to leave." She suggested in a casual tone, and watched as Nick's face relaxed a bit.

"Katarina, are you sure there is enough time? That would be great; it was a hard week." Nick had planned on taking a long hot bath, eating a good meal, and falling into his bed. She nodded her head, and then told him to get going. He looked at her with tenderness, appreciating how kind and considerate she was. He kissed her on the forehead before he left, while she felt pleased with what she'd set up.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Tauna Petit Strawn: Yes, Audra has lousy timing!**_

_**BarkelyFan11: They are working on it.**_

_**Snuffybear: Don't worry, things will be said; just not this chapter.**_

_**Thank you to everyone who is reading the story!**_

_**The Plan – Part One**_

Katarina went to Nicholas' room half an hour before they were supposed to leave, and knocked very lightly on the door. She didn't get an answer so she carefully turned the door knob, and slowly pushed it open. The room was almost dark, but there was enough light coming in through the open windows for her to see a figure lying on the bed.

Katarina walked further into the room and found herself in a small sitting area decorated with red velvet curtains, and mahogany paneling. An elaborate arch of the same wood overhead flowed down into carved columns that separated the sitting area from the bedroom. She noticed a beautiful oriental rug on the floor, with a medallion design in the middle. It provided a rich, colorful backdrop for more mahogany paneling.

Looking over to the right she saw a fireplace with two arm chairs flanking it, and an English style picture of a horse decorating the wall above the mantle. Over to the left was a small love seat, upholstered in gold tone velvet, while the long wall had a large bed with an elaborately carved headboard and footboard. She had never been in Nicholas' room before, but she found it very masculine and comfortable.

Moving over to the bed she saw Nicholas on his side, fast asleep, only in his drawers with no covers over him. Katarina paused for a minute to admire his body, and wonder what it would be like to run her hands over his broad chest. She then felt the soft breeze coming into the room, and decided that he should at least have something over him, to stay comfortable.

She looked around the room, and in the far corner saw a wooden chest that doubled as bench. Katarina went over to it and confirmed her thought that the lid lifted up. Inside were several heavy blankets, and a light weight quilt made up of different colored fabrics. She looked closer and saw the pieces were sewn in such a way as to make a star design. It was well done, but rather old she noticed, feeling some wear on the edges. However, it was thin so it wouldn't make him too hot.

Katarina went back over to the bed, and admired his body for one last time before she arranged the quilt on him. She watched Nicholas' snuggle up a bit, and sigh as he became more comfortable. He was soundly asleep, which meant that the first part of her plan was in place. Katarina smiled happily before she quietly left the room, to head down the hall.

Arriving at the opposite end of the hall, she knocked on Victoria's door and heard a 'come in'. She'd never been in this room before, but saw that the layout was similar to hers, just flipped. The décor was also very different, all blue brocade and French style furniture painted white. Katarina was trying to imagine Tom Barkley in this room, but wasn't able to see it, based on what she'd heard about the man. She decided that Victoria had most likely redone the room at some point after his death.

"Hello Catherine, you look lovely! What a beautiful design. You will get more attention than the violinist I think." Victoria was admiring both the color of the dress, as well as the construction. The young woman smiled her thanks, and added that it was from Worth, which didn't surprise her.

"Victoria, that is why I'm here actually; would you mind making Nicholas' and my excuses to the Harringtons? I just came from checking on him, and he is sound asleep. Quite frankly, I don't have the heart to wake him up; as I'm sure it was hard work out on the range." Catherine explained to Victoria, and added a compliment of the woman's burgundy dress that she was wearing.

"Oh, that is too bad! I know that you were looking forward to it, but I understand about Nick being tired. It is difficult work, in long hours, with bad conditions and little sleep. Catherine, I'm sure he would understand if you wanted to go anyway?" Victoria knew that Nick would probably sleep all night, having seen him do it before, after being on the far border.

"No Victoria, I wouldn't feel right going to the party without Nicholas, since he is home. It would also bother me to leave him alone after he's been gone for so long. Missing the concert is not a concern Victoria; I've heard Jozef play before." Catherine replied with sincerity. Privately she was not the least bit upset about not having to sit through an hour of violin playing.

Victoria looked at the young woman standing there, in the elaborate dress and jewelry that would have been the talk of the evening. She saw though that Catherine didn't care about everyone else, she was only thinking of Nick, which touched the older woman's heart. It came to her that she owed Silas a big thank you, for bringing her to her senses about Nick's marriage.

"I understand, and I will explain to the Harringtons, and I know they will sympathize with Nick." Victoria answered, before she added "Catherine, I owe you an apology that I hope you will accept." She wanted the young woman to know that she had her blessing about the marriage.

"What do you mean Victoria?" Catherine queried, with a tilt of her head as she looked at the other woman. She was baffled as to what Victoria was talking about, and waited to hear what came next.

"When I first met you I made several assumptions about you, none of them flattering, and in consequence was not very welcoming to you. I feel bad about that now, and the fact that it took me so long to get to know you." Victoria disclosed, as she went on "Catherine, I admire you a great deal, and how you have acted under these trying circumstances. I feel like we are becoming friends, and I think Nick is very lucky to have you."

"Victoria, you don't need to apologize, but thank you! I understand that you were only concerned about your son's happiness." Catherine declared as she and Victoria hugged. The young woman looked at the older on as she affirmed "I'm glad that we are becoming friends, because I admire you a great deal too."

They chatted for several more minutes, before Catherine excused herself and left the room. She was happy about how things had gone with Victoria, and impressed with the older woman's gesture to her. Arriving downstairs she made her way to the kitchen, to have a talk with Silas, before she headed back to her room.

"Highness, what do you mean you want to get undressed? Why aren't you going to the party?" Nina demanded in Russian, which is how she spoke to her young mistress when they were alone. Highness insisted on them speaking English if anyone else was around, saying it was impolite not to. Nina knew as many languages as the young woman did, and since being in California had picked up the colloquial Spanish all the workers spoke. She'd found out that the best gossip was exchanged that way.

"Mr. Nicholas is very tired, and I'm not going to drag him out to sit through a violin concert. I'll stay home too, in case he wakes up." Katarina informed her maid, who looked at her quizzically. Once she was out of her clothes, she told Nina what she wanted to put on, and the maid finally figured out what was happening.

Nina had been pretty sure that her mistress was in love with Mr. Nicholas, and if the way the young man looked at the princess was an indication, the feeling was mutual. The maid suddenly felt very happy about how things were going to work out. She liked living in California, and had no desire to go to England. She, along with her mistress, was well regarded and treated with respect and honor; something they would never get from the British.

After Katarina had finished changing, she dismissed Nina for the night and settled down to wait for everyone else to leave for the party. She wanted the house empty before she put the next part of her plan in place. From her balcony she heard voices as the family entered the coach, and then when she heard it drive off, she knew that everything was in place for her plan.

"I still think it is too bad that Catherine couldn't come with us to the concert. Nick is just going to sleep all night." Audra almost pouted, as they left the house. Victoria, Audra, Jarrod, and Heath were all in the big coach, heading over to the Harrington's. Victoria had complimented Audra on her hair, and she'd said that Nina had done it for her. That had brought up the subject of Catherine not coming with them.

Audra didn't add the story of how Nina had ended up doing her hair for her. She was still bothered by how unwelcoming Nick had seemed to her. He hadn't hugged her back, or anything; rather he had looked at her like he didn't know what she was talking about. Audra was also thinking about the tone, rather formal, that Catherine's voice had carried, when she had responded to the question that Audra had asked Nick.

"Catherine didn't want Nick to be alone, after being gone all week. It is very considerate of her to stay home. She was also concerned about him having something proper to eat." Victoria informed her daughter, being rather surprised at Audra's attitude, and the comment she'd just made about Nick.

"You would do well to spend more time copying Catherine's concern, rather than just her hair style. She is putting Nick's feelings first. If you end up with the fair Owen he will expect the same kind of attention." Jarrod observed, hoping that some time alone would be just what the couple needed. He was also rather envious of Nick, having Catherine looking out for him. It was times like this that made him miss Beth even more than he usually did.

"Oh please, what is she going to do? She doesn't know about cooking; did you know that she had never been in a kitchen before until she came here?" Audra announced, still rather shocked at her sister-in-law's cavalier attitude towards domestic work. Catherine had flat out stated that domestic duties were the responsibility of the servants. A woman's job was to make sure the servants carried them out properly.

"Well she might not know how to cook, but I heard her telling Silas to set some food aside, in case Nick woke up. Honestly, I don't think our brother will care whether Catherine cooked it or not." Jarrod retorted tartly to Audra, wondering why she was having problems understanding what a man really wanted.

Victoria went from being surprised at Audra's attitude, to being surprised at how Jarrod was talking to his sister, in almost a cross voice. The older woman knew that her eldest son was still mourning Beth, even though it had been almost two years since her death. Victoria had wondered if having Catherine around would help or hurt Jarrod.

There had been several women who had shown an interest in the handsome lawyer, but he hadn't noticed them. She also knew that there had been talk of her son running for political office, but he would need a wife for that. Victoria thought that Jarrod was too young to spend the rest of his life alone; he needed a wife and a family. She was hoping that seeing Nick with Catherine would give Jarrod the impetus he needed to move on.

Heath listened to Jarrod almost scold Audra, and found it interesting. Obviously Jarrod thought that a wife should behave like Catherine. He knew that his older brother and Beth had not been married for long, but decided that maybe she'd been like Catherine. Heath wasn't against his wife caring about him, but he didn't want the division of labor that seemed to come along with the relationship that Nick and Catherine had.

Nick doted on Catherine, but didn't expect her to do any real labor around the house or barn. Rather, she was supposed to be well dressed, and very sympathetic to whatever Nick had going on. Heath knew that his brother liked the attention he received too. For his part, he preferred a relationship with a woman who was his equal, and would help out in any way she could. That was one of the appeals of Susannah, he thought; she was down to earth and wouldn't expect to be waited on.

Catherine was kind, but high maintenance, having always had servants to take care of her. However, Nick wouldn't mind that in the least, just taking it as an indication of her worth. Of course it helped that the couple were crazy over each other, if what he saw in the meadow was any indication. He wondered if everyone being out of the house might be just the push Nick needed.

Audra spent the rest of the carriage ride in silence, not liking how Jarrod had criticized her. Having already been bothered by Nick and Catherine's behavior toward her, Jarrod's comments cut deep. She didn't like the implication that her sister-in-law knew something that she didn't. Her older brother's remark, about what Owen would want from her, also gave her a lot to think about.

When they arrived at the Harrington's they found the place brightly lit up, with lots of their friends already there. Victoria made excuses for Nick and Catherine, which were accepted with understanding. More than one man, hearing that, gave Nick high points for both getting out of listening to the music, and getting his pretty bride all to himself.

Audra had seen Owen on the other side of the room, but decided to wait for him to approach her. Instead, she pretended to be interested in what one of her mother's friends was saying. She was rewarded when Owen came up to her, and after bowing to Victoria asked if Audra would like some punch. He had been pleased when she'd not come over to him right away, and made a big display of his company.

"I am so glad you and your family were able to make it tonight; you must like violin music." Heath offered, as he talked to Susannah and her mother at the far side of the room. He thought the girl looked very sweet in a soft blue dress, demure with puff sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. Her hair was put up, with two curls coming around the left side of her neck, held together with a blue bow.

"My husband thinks classic music is part of a well educated person's development. He was most insistent that we come." Dorothea replied in an almost aggrieved tone, which Heath wondered about. He also noticed how cowed Susannah seemed around her mother, which made him sad.

"Well he is certainly an acclaimed musician, and my sister-in-law, who has heard him play before, says he is very good." Heath wasn't sure whether the woman disliked the music, or the frivolity more. He looked at her in a brown taffeta gown that was a good ten years out of date, even to his untrained eye. There was a hard set to the woman's thin lips, and harshness in her eyes.

"Heath, I have never met your brother or his wife. Are they here tonight?" Dorothea inquired in a demanding tone, making it sound like it was their fault she had not met them.

"No, Nick was out on the far range all last week, and just arrived home earlier this evening. He was tired, and Catherine didn't want to go out without him." Heath explained, trying to imagine Nick and Catherine with Dorothea. Nick, who could usually charm anything female, would probably not get too far with the woman. Heath was sure that Catherine, with her social training, would be able to manage a conversation, but the older woman would regard the younger one with disapproval.

"At least it sounds like your sister-in-law knows proper behavior for a wife. I am going to go get some punch." Dorothea excused herself, being done with the conversation. She had heard several things about the young Mrs. Barkley, none to her liking. Further she was not a woman impressed with titles, taking them as symbol of decadent European behavior. After her mother left, Susannah looked up at Heath, thinking how handsome he looked. His blue eyes were kind, and his smile gentle; it made talking to him much easier.

"That is too bad that they had to miss the party, but it was sweet of your sister-in-law to stay home with him." Susannah said in a soft voice, her brown eyes downcast. She had been looking forward to meeting the beautiful princess that she'd heard people talking about. Like all shy people she tended to melt into the background, so people talked in front of her, like she wasn't there. It came to her that Heath would not do that to her.

"I wish you could've met them, Susannah. My brother is wonderful, larger than life! He walks into a room and the place lights up. Catherine is one of the nicest people you will ever meet, very easy to talk to. It is because of her that I've started going to church again." Heath didn't want the young woman to be under illusions about his religious issues. He had already seen how devout her parents were, having heard some of the talk around town about Dean Alderson and the Methodist church.

"Heath, you didn't go to church?" Susannah was trying to fathom how someone didn't go to church, and not be struck down by God. She was also trying not to be bothered by how warmly Heath had spoken about his sister-in-law, with admiration in his voice.

"I have always had a lot of problems understanding why God lets certain things happen, especially bad things. Catherine was the first person I met who understood why I felt like I did. Even though she is Russian, her mother was British, and one of her uncle's is a Vicar in England. He believes that a thinking person should question God, and that God expects it, because it makes for stronger believers." Heath had found lots of solace in talking to his sister-in-law, especially because she didn't judge him.

Susannah was aghast at the thought of anyone questioning God. Her father had said, on more than one occasion, that it was a major sin and the work of the devil to think that way. As she thought more about what Heath had just said though, she could see his point of view. She just hoped that he would not express those sentiments around her father.

Heath started to be concerned that maybe he'd put the young woman off, by how she was looking at him with round eyes. Remembering how her parents were, he decided to change the subject before she walked away. He decided to ask about what she was teaching at the school, and if music was part of the program. Heath was very impressed that Susannah had graduated from teacher's college, and was well educated. He was now pleased to see the pretty young woman look much more at ease, giving him hope about the rest of the evening.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Author's Note: This is the explicit version for the chapter that was posted on 'The Writer's Desk' on the Big Valley message boards.**_

_**Meanwhile, back at the ranch…**_

Nick Barkley slowly woke up, wondering why the bed at the bunk house felt like his own bed at home. As he came further awake, he remembered that he was in his own bed, and not out at the far range. At first he wasn't sure why he was on top of the covers, wearing only his drawers; with his old quilt covering him. However, he then remembered coming home, talking to Katarina, taking a bath, and then a nap.

He looked over at the clock on the nightstand and saw that it was almost 10:00 at night! Nick sat up, startled, as he realized he had missed taking Katarina to the party. He started to get upset, sure that she was going to be mad at him about falling asleep like he'd had. The moon light was coming in through the open windows, and he surveyed the room, trying to get his bearings.

It was looking to the right, over where the small love seat was that he saw her, partially stretched out, asleep on a pillow against one of the arms. A book had fallen to the floor, which he guessed she had been reading. She seemed to have some kind of a robe on, and her hair was loosely tied back at the nape of her neck.

It was a good sign that she wasn't mad at him, Nick decided if she was in his room and not dressed to go out. He deduced that she had stayed home from the party, some kind of concert he recalled, to keep him company. Nick was touched that she'd given up the evening out, to sit at home with him. He recalled how beautiful she had looked, in that pink sparkling gown that reflected light like a rainbow. She would have been the star of the evening, if they'd been able to go.

Nick felt guilty now, that he had deprived her of the chance to hear the concert, and show off her pretty dress. He sighed heavily, as he pushed the quilt back, to get out of bed and go talk to her. It came to him that maybe he should at least put some pajamas on, and a robe, instead of just wearing his underwear. As he had that thought, he guessed that she must have put the quilt over him, which meant she had seen him almost naked. He was now even sorrier that he'd fallen asleep like he'd had, and as sound as he had.

He went to the small dressing room/closet adjoined to his bedroom and found a set of pajamas in a light weight cream-colored cotton fabric. It took Nick another minute to remember that his bathrobe, of navy blue paisley polished cotton, with collar and cuffs in darker, navy blue velvet, was hanging on the back side of the door. Once he'd tied the robe he decided he was clothed enough to go wake up Katarina.

Walking over to the small loveseat, he looked down at her, reclined against the gold velvet. Nick noticed that her robe was one that he had not seen before, being made of bluish-grey watered silk, with ruffles of black lace at the v-neck, as well as at the cuffs and hem. The robe, he noticed was held closed with a black satin bow, which echoed the ribbon that was loosely holding back her honey colored hair. Nick was distracted by trying to decide which bow he would like to untie first, and what her hair felt like.

"Hey, Katarina, hey, honey wake up." Nick reached his hand down to touch her shoulder, feeling the silk glide against his fingertips. The endearment came to him automatically, as he let his hand lightly caress her shoulder. The fabric was thin, and he could feel her warmth against his hand, as she moved slightly with an 'mmm' sound. For some reason that sound caused a stirring in him, and made him think about kissing her.

"Nicholas, you are awake! What time is it?" Katarina questioned in a low, sleepy voice as she sat up and stretched. It caused the robe to move slightly, and the neck opening to show more of her creamy skin. He looked down at her, as she looked up at him with soft eyes and slightly tousled hair. Nick had no problems imagining her on his pillow, looking like that in the morning, after being with him all night. It dawned on him that he was playing with fire, and they could both get burned.

"Almost 10:00pm." Nick managed to answer her question, trying to sound coherent and calm. His body was being flooded with physical need, and it was affecting his thought processes. He wanted nothing more than to sit down next to her and take her in his arms.

"That is late, but you were tired. Nicholas, are you hungry?" Katarina inquired, trying not to think about how his green eyes were regarding her. She ended up having to ask again, before he responded. When he did respond, he didn't say what he was hungry for.

"Actually, yes I am hungry. Shall we go see what is in the kitchen?" Nicholas had become aware of the emptiness in his stomach, and decided that getting out of the bedroom would be a good idea.

"I can already tell you that there is left over roast beef to make sandwiches, along with some bread that was baked earlier today, Nicholas." Katarina went on to tell him several other items that were available, as she stood up. He was trying to focus on what she was saying, and not how the silk robe clung to her body.

"Katarina, how do you know all this?" He asked, as he followed her out of the room, and down to the kitchen. Nicholas was now intrigued by her behavior, as she had seemed matter of fact about both her being in his room, and the discussion of food. It felt intimate, and comfortable at the same time, as if they were married. After he thought that he mentally corrected himself 'we are married, but not like that', which made him a little sad.

"When I realized that you were sound asleep, I asked Silas to set some food aside, for you to eat when you woke up." Katarina smiled at him from over her shoulder, as they made their way into the kitchen. Hearing that reminded Nick that it was his sleeping that had caused them to miss the concert. It also took his mind off his other avenue of thoughts.

"Listen, I need to apologize for falling asleep like that, Katarina. It is my fault we missed the party, and I'm really sorry." Nick offered up with sincerity, as she lit two of the lights on in the kitchen. She turned to face him, and reached out her hand to touch his shoulder.

"Nicholas, you don't need to apologize for anything! You were bone tired after a week plus of hard work. I thought you needed the rest more than you needed to hear violin music. Now, sit down and I'll get you something to eat." Katarina reassured him in a comforting tone. Nick was starting to wonder if he was dreaming, but if so he didn't want to wake up. He sat down, and watched her put together a plate of food for him, which she then brought over to him.

"Thank you for this, Katarina! You are being much nicer to be than I deserve." Nick declared, as she put the plate in front of him. She then opened the icebox and brought out a pitcher of milk, which she poured into a glass. Coming back over to the table, she sat down next to him, as she passed the glass to him.

"Nonsense, you need a decent meal, after all the hard work you put in. It is too bad it is just sandwiches though, instead of a proper dinner." Katarina really wanted to put her arms around him, to comfort him, but decided that food was the next best thing. She watched him bite into one of the sandwiches with enjoyment.

"You know, I think you've lied to me Katarina." Nick informed her, as he finished chewing. She looked startled for a minute, and then saw the smile he had on his face. He explained by saying "You told me that you had no kitchen skills whatsoever, but based on how good this sandwich is I think you were wrong."

"Shh, you'll ruin my reputation with the servants! Actually, making a sandwich is not a difficult feat." Katarina giggled, as she flashed her dimple. Nick laughed along with her, knowing how much the staff liked the idea of her being a princess. He was also pretty sure that Rachelle was thrilled that she had no interest in mucking up the kitchen like Audra did.

They talked as Nick ate, and he told her about what had gone on with the operations on the far range. He liked the insightful questions she asked, and it reminded him of how much he had missed having her around while he was gone. She told him the real reason the violinist was in America, and he roared with laughter at the story of the hapless heir stuck in the mountains.

Nick finished the sandwiches, and looked over at Katarina, sitting next to him. He then looked around the cozy, dimly lit kitchen, and it came home to him how wonderful it was to be with her. He also appreciated how she'd given up the evening to stay home with him, as well as making sure there would be something to eat. Nick watched her get up, and bring over a plate of brownies, from the sideboard. As she put them in front of him, she let her hand rest on his shoulders, bringing him into close contact with her body.

"Katarina, would this be an inappropriate time to tell you that I love you?" Nick looked up at her, standing next to him, regarding him with kindness, and he couldn't keep his feelings to himself any longer. He held his breath, wondering if it was too soon, but then exhaled as a smile came on her face.

"Oh Nicholas, I love you too! I have for so long!" Katarina exclaimed, putting her other arm around him as he pulled her into his lap. Nicholas' lips reached for hers and they were almost touching when they heard the sound of the carriage pulling up in front of the house. She groaned, while he reared his head back, towards the sound and ground his teeth.

"Fuck it all! My family has the worst fucking god damn timing in the world." He cursed, before a plan came to him. "Listen, let's put this stuff in the sink, and go up the back stairs. I'm sure they will have a nightcap in the library, and that will give us time." Nick detailed the plan, and she stood up as she nodded her head. The left the stuff in the sink, and quietly made their way upstairs, to the end of the hall. They entered Katarina's room, and silently shut the door.

She was facing the door, with Nick's body in back of hers, close enough to smell his scent. Katarina gave a small sigh, which he heard, causing him to bend his face to her hair, which felt like satin and smelled like flowers. He inhaled the scent, before he moved his head to her ear. She felt his breath against her ear, as his hands slowly encircled her waist. They then started lightly stroking her sides, which caused her to sigh a little louder.

"Sugar, you're not wearing a corset, are you?" Nick whispered, as he let his hands explore her soft warm curves. He moved closer to her, so there was no space between their bodies. The feel of her was exciting him like nothing before, and he felt a hard wave of desire hit his body.

"Of course not! No one wears a corset with their night-clothes." Katarina gave a low chuckle, and then a low 'ahh' escaped from her mouth as Nick started nuzzling her neck. His hands were still exploring, moving from her hips upwards, where they gently cupped her breasts, causing her to moan. When his fingers brushed against her nipples, making them harden, she moaned louder.

Nick couldn't believe how good her body felt under his hands, and the moan she let out when he fingered her nipples was more than he could handle. He increased the pressure of his kisses on her neck, as his tongue tasted her smooth skin. Her nipples were hard points, straining against the silk, while her rear end moved against his burgeoning erection.

Katarina felt his hands move away from teasing her breasts, but before she could protest she was being turned to face him, as the strong, hot hands moved over her hips. Their lips met in a hungry kiss, his tongue deep in her mouth, as his hands pushed her against his groin and throbbing erection. She needed no encouragement to start moving against him, her body wanting him as close as possible. Her core was hot and wet, and their movements were only intensifying the sensations hitting the area.

Her hands moved from his broad shoulders to his neck, as her slim white fingers started ruffling his hair. She felt the need to chase his tongue with hers, and found her hands pressing his lips tighter against hers. Katarina felt a primal hunger over take her body, at the same time that Nick's intensified his movements against hers. All that her brain could process was that she needed him on a physical level that was beyond comprehension.

Nick felt the heat and hunger from her body, liking how it was responding to what his body was doing. He had stopped thinking about whether this was the right thing to do, just wanting her next to him, and part of him, in a way that he had never experienced before. His control was slipping rapidly, and he was ready to surrender to the fire coursing through him.

"I love you so much, Katarina. You are the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me." Nick had broken off the kiss, to look at her as he declared his feelings. He couldn't go slow any longer, and was confident now that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Her mouth opened, all set to say something when there was a knock on the door. Katarina's eyes flew wide open, and a look of anguish showed on her face, as she was startled at the sound.

"Yes, what is it?" She had walked over to the door on shaky legs, and opened it just slightly wondering who in the hell would be knocking on her door at this time of night. Katarina peered out through the slight opening, and it took everything not to snarl at the person standing there.

"Catherine, were you asleep? I'm sorry; I just wanted to tell you about the evening, since you missed it. It was really a nice time, and the music was superb." Audra was standing there, wide awake, wanting to talk about the party. She was sure that Catherine would want to know how it went with Owen.

"Audra, I'm glad you had a good time, and normally I would love to hear about it. Right now though, I've got a headache, so I wouldn't be good company. Can you wait until tomorrow?" Katarina had been trying to calm down after all the feelings Nick had aroused in her, and while she did have an ache, it wasn't in her head. She was sure her voice sounded weak, which the young woman would take for a headache.

"Of course, I'm sorry Catherine I shouldn't have disturbed you so late. Let me say good night. Oh, did Nick ever wake up?" Audra now felt bad about coming down to see her sister-in-law, and then wondered how Nick was.

"He woke up earlier, ate some food, and is now sleeping. Please don't bother him, he was very tired." Katarina started to worry that Audra would feel the need to check on Nicholas, which would not be good. She hoped her voice carried enough of a warning note in it.

"No, of course not I won't bother him. I hope you feel better, and I'm sorry for waking you up. See you tomorrow." Audra said her good nights, and turned away, to walk down the hall. She had been so excited to tell Catherine all about the evening, and instead had just ended up causing distress. Walking to her room, she wondered about the way her sister-in-law's voice had sounded, like she'd been breathing hard. Audra hoped that Catherine's headache wasn't too bad.

Once Audra was gone, Katarina shut the door and turned the lock before she turned around to face Nicholas. He had moved off to the side, out of the line of sight of the door, when she had opened it. Hearing Audra's voice had made him want to grind his teeth again, while pondering how she always seemed to be under foot at the wrong time. Nick listened to Katarina lock the door, which under other circumstances would have thrilled him no end. However, he realized that locking the door wouldn't be enough, and that he wanted her to be absolutely sure of her feelings.

Katarina walked up to Nicholas, all set to put her arms around him, but he stopped her. Taking both of her hands in his, he kept their bodies slightly apart. She looked up at him, so proud, and strong. Passion glittering in his eyes, as his breath was coming fast from between his lips. Katarina didn't understand what was happening, and she gave him a puzzled look.

"Sugar, I love you more than anything else, I think you know that. There is a part of me that wants nothing more than to pick you up and carry you into that bed over there." Nicholas stated in a low voice, indicating the bed with a tilt of his head, before he went on "However, once I do that nothing will ever be the same between us again. You will be my wife, which I want so badly; I want you to stay with me for the rest of our lives. What that means though is that you don't go to England, and my house becomes your house."

She listened to what he was saying, and wanted to cry as she heard the depth of feeling in his words, and what he was offering her, his life and love. Katarina was all set to tell him that is what she wanted too, but he shook his head. Nick brought one of her hands up to his lips and kissed it gently, before he spoke.

"I have to go back out to the western range, tomorrow, for just a couple of days. When I get back, if you can tell me in the clear light of day that you want to stay with me and be my wife, I will take you up to our cabin, where we will have lots of privacy." Nick had decided that if they were going to be man and wife, they needed a proper honeymoon, without his family showing up at the wrong time.

"Nicholas, you are the most upright, honorable man I have ever met." Katarina's voice was filled with reverence, as she thought about what he was doing for her. "I love you so much, and I want nothing more than to stay with you and be your wife. I admire what you are doing now, but my answer will be the same when you come back as it is now. Yes."

He looked at her, and saw love, admiration, and passion in her deep blue eyes as she regarded him. Part of Nick was tempted not to wait until he returned, letting nature take its course. As he was thinking that he saw, on the table in the corner, the Russian icon that was the symbol of her faith. The gilt and jewels on the frame glowed in the moonlight from the window. Nick was reminded of what she'd be giving up, by staying with him. That thought strengthened his resolve, and made saying goodbye to her easier.

"Katarina, I will look forward to you telling that when I return. I love you, and am going to miss you so much. Thank you for tonight, it meant everything." Nick gently kissed both of her hands that he'd been holding, and then he was gone. Katarina stared at the door that he had just closed, and wanted to cry tears of happiness. She also knew that it was going to be a long couple of days.


	19. Chapter 19

Katarina spent the days waiting for Nicholas to return thinking about what her life was going to be like with him, on the ranch. The morning following what she referred to as the magical night, she had woken up to find a letter from him under her door. It spoke of how much he loved her, and everything she meant to him. She almost cried when she read it, as the thought about the kind of man he was. He had never been anything other than kind, protective, and honorable with her. The knowledge that he loved her was more than she had ever hoped for.

She was at the stable now, visiting Nostrovia, whom she thought of as her foal, because of his name. Katarina was watching as Brandywine, his mother, was nursing him in the foaling stall. She'd never really thought about babies before, but watching the mare she thought about the children she and Nicholas would have. The ranch would be the perfect place for children to grow up, she thought looking around the big stable, and he would be a wonderful father.

The mare looked at her with soft brown eyes, and nodded her head, as if she knew what Katarina was thinking. A smile came to her face, as she thought about how wonderful her life was. She was married to a man she loved, who loved her back. It had been lonely the four days he'd been gone, especially when she remembered what his body had felt like against hers.

He had mentioned taking her to a cabin, which she knew was a small house. The idea intrigued her, and she liked the idea of them being alone. Katarina had not asked anyone at the house about the cabin, because she wanted it to be something private between her and Nicholas. She trusted him that it would be the perfect place to be together. Katarina also liked the fact that Audra wouldn't be knocking on the door up at the cabin either. She liked her sister-in-law, but thought the girl had lousy timing, and no sense about knocking on doors late at night.

Nick rode up in front of the stable, and dismounted to lead Coco into the barn. It had been a hard four days, but he wanted to get everything done quickly, so he could get back to the ranch. The thought that Katarina was waiting for him, and she loved him, spurred him on as he worked. He was glad he was tired at night, because otherwise he would have laid awake and imagined Katarina next to him. Nick had the memory of the way she'd looked, when he had woken her up, burned in his mind. Unfortunately that thought was replaced by another thought that he didn't care for, but one that he knew he would have to discuss with her.

Entering the barn, he looked down to the far end he saw Katarina standing by the foaling stable. His heart started to race, and he was having trouble breathing. Nick quickened his step as he walked toward her, still leading Coco. Her back was to him, as she was stroking the foal while Brandywine looked on. The mare recognized the scent of the stallion, which was the foal's father, and nickered in response.

Katarina had been busy with the foal, and when the mare nickered she turned around to see what had caught the horse's attention. Her eyes widened as she saw Nicholas standing there, looking ruggedly handsome in his pants, leather vest, and open necked shirt. His hat was slightly tilted back, so she could see his face clearly. She was all set to rush up to him when she saw a hesitation on his face. At first it took her back, and then she remembered a passage in the letter he had left for her. It had concerned what he'd done, and how it bothered him.

"Hello Nicholas, I have missed you." Katarina made it a point to talk slowly, wanting him to know that she only cared about him. Everyone else might talk at him, but she always talked to him, which she knew he needed.

"I have missed you too, honey." Nick answered simply, wanting her so badly, but still feeling guilty about how it had all come about. The words of the Russian Bishop rang in his mind, and he wanted to make sure he would do right by her.

"Nicholas, you told me that if I would declare, in the light of day, that I wanted to be your wife for now and forever, I could stay with you. Do you still want me to do that?" Katarina was exercising every ounce of self control she had ever learned, as she asked the question.

"Katarina, I love you so much, and yes I want you to stay with me, but I feel guilty about how it all came about. I only agreed to marry you because of the land grant, and your uncle telling me it would save you from a bad marriage." Nick couldn't lie to her about the circumstances of how they'd come to be together. He didn't want the shadow of that hanging over their heads for the rest of their lives.

"Do you remember on the train ride, to the valley, I told you that while I didn't know a lot about you, I knew how proud you were, and how much you loved your land?" Katarina responded, and he nodded his head as he thought about sitting with her, as they talked. For some reason the camisole with the blue bow popped into his head, and he smiled.

"While my religion is Russian orthodox, I am very familiar with the Holy Bible. There is a passage, I believe in I Samuel, Chapter 2, that says 'He who honors me, I will honor him'. Nicholas, I understand that you married me because of what the land grant would do for your property. Under any other circumstances you would have walked away, telling my uncle exactly what he could do with his offer." Katarina, as she said that reached out her hand to Nick's arm.

"However, because of your love for your ranch, you did what my uncle wanted and married me. That took a great deal of self-sacrifice, but you were willing to do it because of your land. I honor you for that, and admire you too. That brings up my next biblical reference, from the book of Ruth." Katarina stopped, and looked at Nick to see how he was receiving what she was saying.

Nick listened to what Katarina had just told him, that she understood his reasons for why he'd gone along with her uncle's proposition. It came to him that she wasn't mad at him, or thought badly of him for what he'd done. Instead, she saw the reason he had gone along with it all, and he suddenly felt a great burden being lifted from him. If she could forgive, how could God not also forgive him?

"Katarina, I never expected anything like this from you! It is so much more than I ever deserve." Nick felt very humble, and like he'd been given a second chance. He then remembered her last sentence, about the book of Ruth, and asked her about it.

"The verse says 'Don't urge me to leave you, or turn my back from you. Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God." Katarina paused, as she put her other hand on his free arm before she said "That passage states exactly how I feel about you, Nicholas."

He took in what she was saying, and then the meaning became clear to him and he put his arms around her, pulling her close to him. He felt her against him, as her arms went around his waist, and without a second thought he dropped Coco's rein and took her in his arms. Nick's lips found hers, and he started kissing her deep and hard, like a hungry man at a feast. She felt and tasted so good, and he had missed her so much.

She felt the passion in his kiss, and surrendered totally to it, just wanting to be with him, not caring about anything else. Nick broke off the kiss, to get some air, while she nuzzled against his neck, not wanting to lose his touch. Katarina heard him groan slightly, before he gently cradled her head in his hands.

"I guess this means the answer is still yes?" Nick was breathing hard as he asked, while his body was on fire. Her dark blue eyes were soft and shining as she nodded her head. He had waited so long for this, and now that she was his, he felt happier than he ever had before.

"Yes, yes! I am saying it in the clear light of day, I love you Nicholas and want to be your wife." Katarina's voice sounded happy and strong, and he knew that she meant every word she had just said. Nick remembered his comment about the 'clear light of day', and it made him laugh.

"Well, we still have some daylight left, so I made it in time. I love you Katarina, and will do everything to make you happy." He declared, as Coco neighed, so Nick added "Coco will see to it that I do."

"Nicholas, you have already made me happy. I love you too." Katarina replied, before he started kissing her again.

"Let me tell you the plan, so we can get away from here." Nick started to explain, after they finished kissing. It was at the back of his mind that it was going to take all his will power to wait until tomorrow, before he could make love to her. However, he wanted them to have privacy, and wanted her to feel completely relaxed.

The next morning Victoria and Jarrod were already at the breakfast table when Heath came striding into the room, a look of annoyance on his face. He had woken up in a good mood, and it had lasted until he had almost stepped on the envelope that had been slipped under the door. It was when he opened it, read it, and read it again that his mood turned bad.

"My don't we look happy!" Jarrod queried in a cheery tone, as he drank some of his coffee. In fact his younger brother had a scowl on his face, while his blue eyes were very narrow. He watched as Heath angrily helped himself to some eggs and bacon, as Silas poured him some orange juice. Victoria took the whole scene in, and sighed, really not wanting to deal with one of Heath's moods. There were times when she almost preferred Nick's loud outbursts, to Heath's moody sulks.

"I'm surprised that Nick hasn't come in for breakfast yet?" Victoria observed, knowing that her middle son usually made it to the breakfast table for Heath. Both men rose early, but Nick tended to rise earlier, and in consequence was always hungrier."

"Nick didn't tell you? Or, let me rephrase that, leave you a polite, detailed, three page missive of his plans for the next week?" Heath seethed, as he took a forkful of eggs. He wasn't sure whether he was more upset about Nick being gone, or the need he'd felt to leave detailed instructions.

"The last time I talked to Nick was last night, at dinner and afterwards, where he told us about his time on the western range. Is there something else I should know?" Victoria asked pointedly, starting to get concerned. Nick had hardly been around for the last two weeks almost, really only home for two nights. The first one he had slept through, while the second one he'd made it to dinner.

She was also curious, at the back of her mind, if something had happened the night Catherine had stayed home from the party, to be with Nick. Victoria could only imagine the laugh that Hamilton Williams would have, at the fact that she'd gone from wanting the young woman to leave as soon as possible, to hoping that she would stay as her daughter-in-law. She had been disappointed when she'd found out, the next day, that Nick was gone before breakfast. Victoria wondered if something had gone wrong between the couple, but Catherine seemed very happy, which also caused her to wonder more.

"It seems that Nick feels the need for privacy, and time alone, so he will be up at the cabin for the next week or so. He also states that he is sure I can handle things around the ranch; before he goes on to leave a three page 'to do' list for me!" Heath understood that Nick wouldn't just drop everything at the height of the busy season, but thought that three pages were a little excessive.

"Well I don't think he is going to have any privacy, or time alone though?" Audra had come in on the tail end of Heath's rant, and didn't think he was making sense.

"Audra, why do you say that?" Jarrod, switching to lawyer mode, inquired of his sister as he watched her sit down. He had also been surprised when Nick had gone back out to the far range so soon, after his one trip. Jarrod had been sure that if Nick had Catherine all to himself that things would sort themselves out accordingly. He had spent enough time watching the couple to know that there was a great physical attraction between them.

"I was just talking to Nina, Catherine's maid, and she told me that Catherine had left with Nick earlier this morning. I guess that Catherine had asked her to see if I needed any help, so she would have something to do." Audra had been overjoyed to get Nina's offer, thinking about her closet and the state it was in. Owen Winters had said he would be back in Stockton this week, and she was glad that Nina would be available to do her hair.

"Really, I'm not sure why Nick would want to take Catherine to the cabin; I mean I don't think she'll enjoy it. I don't see her fishing, she doesn't cook, and there aren't any servants up there." Audra added, as she put some food on her plate. Jarrod had caught Silas' eye as the girl was saying that, before he turned away so he wouldn't burst out laughing.

Victoria was torn between being thrilled about Nick and Catherine, but worried about Audra. She'd a talk with the girl over a year ago, about what happens between men and women. Now she decided another chat was probably in order, and before the couple returned to the ranch. Victoria looked over at Jarrod, and saw that he was trying not to laugh, while Heath suddenly looked a lot less annoyed.

Heath was sure that Nick and Catherine would not get out of the bedroom for most of the week, but wasn't going to say that at the family breakfast table. He remembered when he'd seen them in the meadow, on the blanket, going at it. From his vantage point it looked like Catherine was as passionate as his brother was, and having waited so long both would only have one thing on their minds.

"Mr. Nick likes Miz Catherine's company, Miss Audra." Silas informed her in a simple tone, while pouring coffee. The news about the couple was the best thing he'd ever heard, because it meant that Mr. Nick wouldn't be lonely any more. He was also glad that Miz Catherine would be staying too, because she was so nice.

"Catherine will do just fine, I'm sure Audra. She cares about Nick very much, and wants him to be happy." Victoria told her daughter with sincerity. She said a silent prayer of thanks to God, for helping her to realize that. Jarrod smiled as his mother made the observation about Catherine, glad that she'd come around. He caught Silas' eye again, and gave the man a knowing look.

"So, Heath, Nick only left three pages? He must have been preoccupied!" Jarrod joked with Heath, who laughed uproariously at the comment. Nick was known for leaving detailed instructions anytime he left the ranch, which he expected to be followed. Heath agreed that three pages weren't that much, considering some of Nick's past to-do lists.

Audra was only partially listening to what her brothers were laughing about, being busy thinking about Nick and Catherine. She hadn't liked the pitying looks her brothers gave her when she made the comment about Catherine not enjoying the cabin. It had seemed obvious to her that her sister-in-law would not enjoy the place. Audra was also trying to figure out her mother's comment, about Catherine wanting Nick to be happy. She was almost done with breakfast when she finally put it all together in her mind.

"Oh, they're I mean." Audra exclaimed out loud, and everyone at the table turned to look at her. She realized she couldn't say what she was going to, because of the personal nature of it. She stuttered a bit, before she blushed bright pink. It had finally dawned on her why her brother had taken his 'wife' up to the cabin, and what it meant. Audra was glad for them, but right now was wishing a hole would open up and swallow her.

"Yes, dear sister, you were saying?" Heath couldn't resist teasing the girl, and he knew exactly what was going through her mind. He was surprised that it had taken her so long to figure it out though. Victoria shot Heath a warning glance, while Jarrod decided to take pity on Audra.

"Did I hear that Owen Winters was going to be in town this week?" Jarrod inquired, as his sister drank some water to catch her breath. She looked gratefully at him, for the change of subject, while Victoria looked happily on.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Author's Note: Major lemon alert! This chapter has the cabin scene, which is written for mature audiences. **_

Katarina was enjoying the drive up the mountains, to the cabin. Nick had waked her up at 5:00am, as previously planned. The day before he'd told her that he wanted to get away before the ranch became busy. She had asked him about what kind of clothes to bring, and when he told her that she wouldn't need that many, and why, she had turned bright pink. However, she figured simple was better and packed accordingly.

She was sitting next to him now in a dark pink flowered skirt, with a light pink blouse that had small ruffles at the neck and sleeves. Her hair was pulled back in a French braid, and tucked under, while she had a straw hat with pink ribbons protecting her skin. Nina had helped her pack the day before, being thrilled that she wouldn't have to go to England after all. The woman had also helped Katarina get used to undressing, and dressing herself, privately thinking though that Mr. Nick was going to be more than happy to help out.

The cabin was a small house made out of logs and stone, with a wooden front porch painted white. It over looked a lake that was very blue, with lots of dark green trees around it. They pulled up in front of the building, and Nick stepped out first, before helping her out. Once she was on the ground he kept his hands on her waist, as his lips found hers.

"Katarina, I love you so much!" Nick declared when the stopped kissing. Her arms were around his neck, and all she could think about was being next to him.

"I love you too Nicholas!" She laughed, as he picked her up and carried her to the door. He set her down for a minute, while he unlocked it.

"There is a tradition that I'm supposed to carry you over the threshold, my dear." Nick informed her, as he picked her up again and took her inside. Once they were in he shut the door with his foot, as he started kissing her hard and passionately.

"We should probably stop, until we get everything in. I'll take care of the horses if you want to get things settled here?" Nick suggested, trying to control the desire coursing through his body, as he looked at her. The pink ruffles made her skin look even creamier, and her blue eyes bluer, while the simple outfit showed off her body perfectly.

Katarina nodded her head, and let him bring in the luggage and provisions from the buggy. He even had a block of ice, wrapped in burlap, to put in the icebox in the kitchen. After he went to take care of the horses, she examined the cabin and saw that it consisted of a kitchen, living room, and a bedroom. The décor was simple, but comfortable looking. She compared it with the grand palaces and estates she'd lived on, thinking of the discrepancy. However, none of those had made her smile like this place did, as she thought of Nicholas. Katarina was sure that a honeymoon here would be a lot more peaceful and private than at some great hotel.

She managed to get the provisions put away in the kitchen, based on what was already there. Katarina regarded the kitchen with concern, and hoped that Nicholas knew something about cooking. Leaving that room she went into the bedroom. There was a large bed, with four low posts, covered in a quilt done in greens and browns. She turned the covers back, and saw that the sheets were white and soft, while the pillows were fluffy. The thought of sharing the bed with Nicholas both thrilled her, and slightly embarrassed her too. Great-aunt Tatiana had explained about everything to her and Sophie, so she knew what to expect. Katarina wondered however, if reality was different, than just hearing about it.

There was a wardrobe, so she unpacked their clothes, thinking it was an intimate thing to be doing, putting away his things. She had just finished up when she heard Nicholas come back into the cabin, and call for her. Katarina answered him, and he walked into the bedroom, just as she was shutting a drawer. She looked over at him, standing tall and looking very large as he entered the room.

Nick stopped just inside the door, and looked at her, thinking how beautiful she was, and how lucky he was. He then reminded himself that she was his bride, and he needed to go slow, so she would enjoy it. He walked over to the left side of the bed, and was all set to take his gun belt off, when a thought occurred to him.

"Katarina, would you care if I slept on the side closet to the door?" That was the side he slept on at home, and where he usually slept anywhere else too. He wanted to be able to defend himself if necessary, a habit he'd acquired a long time ago.

"No, Nicholas, that is fine." Katarina managed to reply, as her breath caught in her throat. She watched him take the gun out of the holster, and lay it on the nightstand, before he took his gun belt off and hung it on the post just above the pillow.

"Is it dangerous here?" Katarina asked suddenly, wondering why he wanted his gun close by. Nick saw how wide her eyes were, and sought to reassure her.

"No, honey it is very safe here. The cabin is private, but our logging camp is over the ridge. I'm just in the habit of having a gun close by, from being on the trail so much." He gave her one of his grins as he said it, and she relaxed.

"Uncle Sergey always sleeps with a revolver under his mattress, and even my English grandfather has a gun in his bedroom." Katarina informed him, relieved that it was just a male habit, and not based on need. Her remark made Nick laugh, glad that she wasn't going to be bothered by the gun. He then remembered that she had a gun of her own, which he now wondered if she'd brought or not. Asking her that question he found out that she had, but it was in a drawer.

Nick saw how she was regarding him, standing still with wide eyes and her breath coming fast. He knew that she was both excited and nervous about what was going to happen next. Nick walked over to face her, and lightly put his hands on her shoulders. She moved closer to him, and he instinctively pulled her against him, where she buried her face in his shoulder.

"Sugar, we can go do some exploring around the lake, if you want to wait a while." Nick whispered in her ear, as he reached up to stroke her head. They had all week, and he wanted her to know that he would be as patient as she needed.

Katarina was snuggled against him, feeling his warmth, and smelling his scent which was playing havoc with her senses. When he started stroking her head, she felt her nervousness evaporate, and then his words almost made her cry. She heard the love and devotion in them, as well as consideration for her feelings, bringing home to her what kind of a man he was.

"Nicholas, I would rather do some exploring in here." Katarina replied softly, as she put her arms around his waist. Nick thrilled to hear those words, and agreed with her suggestion.

"I have always wanted to see your hair down, Katarina." Nick's voice was low, but questioning and she smiled at him. He turned her around, and slowly let his fingers graze the nape of her neck, before two of them reached up and under the braid that was tucked in. He felt some hair pins that his other hand pulled out, setting them on the dresser.

Once the pins were out, the thick plait of hair came down, and slowly started to unravel as the caramel colored pieces melted against the lighter gold ones. Nick let his hands touch the hair, as he unbraided the rest of it. Katarina felt his fingers on her scalp and neck, which was sending shivers down her back and legs.

"You have the most beautiful hair I have ever seen! Katarina, you need to wear it down more often, but only when I'm around." Nick's voice was deep as he expressed the thought.

She laughed delightfully, saying "I always knew you were possessive, Nicholas." He gave her an 'umm' sound with a satisfied smile on his face. She was his, all his, and she knew it which gratified him.

Nick slowly let his hands feel the silken strands, as he admired the different shades of gold. It was long, thick, and slightly curly; when he put his face against it the floral scent he associated with her filled his senses. Katarina was leaning against him, he head slightly bent forward, causing her hair to fall away from her neck.

She felt feather soft kisses on the nape of her neck, as his hands slid down to her waist and then to her hips. Katarina sighed happily, which Nick heard as he continued to stroke her waist and hips. He moved his hands to her back, and found the buttons for her skirt that he skillfully undid. Her skirt fell to the ground with a gentle whoosh, letting him see her bloomers and lacy stockings.

He was still kissing the nape of her neck, but now he brushed one side of her hair back, as he kissed and licked his way to the spot just below her ear. Nick remembered how smooth her skin was, and how good it tasted, as he gently nipped at the spots he'd just licked.

Katarina felt waves of excitement hit her core with each nip he took, and she sighed even louder as she let her back melt even closer to his strong chest. Nick felt her response, and slowly moved his hands from her waist up to her breasts, which were full and heavy in his hands. His fingers slowly rubbed her nipples and felt them harden as he heard her make almost a mewling sound.

Nick turned her around to face him as he said "Sugar, we need to get that corset off, and the rest of your clothes to." His voice was ragged and breathing hard, as his lips found hers for a deep, hungry kiss. Her tongue met his with an intensity that made her forget everything else. When he stopped kissing her she was surprised to see that her blouse was on the floor with her skirt.

She was holding on to him tightly, as her body couldn't stand by itself with the feelings he was awakening in it. Nick looked at her wide, deep blue eyes staring at him with love and desire, as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Katarina, I love you so much!" Nick declared, as he kissed her on the neck before turning her so she back was facing him. The corset was white, decorated with pink ribbons, which made him smile. He found the tie that was holding it tight, and after releasing it eased the boned garment over her head. She turned around giving him a full view of her white camisole trimmed with lace and held shut by a pink satin bow.

Nick saw the bow and laughed as he told her "Sugar, all these bows you wear drive me crazy! It makes me think you are my present." He was referencing the remark he'd made in the churchyard when she'd first arrived in the valley.

"Nicholas, I am your present! Are you going to unwrap me?" Katarina inquired in a teasing voice, liking how he was looking at her. His eyes widened at what she'd just told him, before his big grin came on his face. He reached up with his hand, letting his fingers touch the creamy skin on her chest, before they moved to the bow.

Nick pulled on one of the ends, which undid the bow, letting the garment fall open to show her breasts with the rosy tipped erect nipples. He groaned as his eyes took in the sight, before he pulled her tight against him, kissing her with total abandon. Katarina felt the heat coursing through her body, and before she knew how she was naked, and being picked up and carried to the bed.

She was nestled against the pillows, as he stood next to the bed looking at her with admiration. Katarina watched as he sat down in the chair and removed his boots, before he started taking off the rest of his clothes. When she saw his bare chest it reminded her of when she'd seen it the other night, and how she had wanted to touch it.

He laid on the bed next to her as he asked "Sugar, I love you so much, and want to do the right thing so I have to ask" Nick paused, before he went on "Do you know how this all works?" It had come to him that she might not fully know what was involved in making love, and he didn't want to shock her.

"Yes, Nicholas I know what is involved, but I've never experienced it before. Thank you for asking though! You are the kindest, gentlest, most wonderful man in the world. I love you." Katarina affirmed, as she felt his body warm against hers. Nick's response was to start to kiss her slowly and gently, letting his tongue lick her lips before it entered her mouth to meet hers.

As her body moved against his, he deepened the kiss as his hands slowly explored every inch of her body. He moved from kissing her lips to putting butterfly kisses along her jaw, and then on her neck. Tasting her soft skin he slowly licked and nipped her neck, sending those jolts to her core. Her hands were on his back, moving up and down, feeling the hard muscles underneath her fingers.

Nick was now kissing and nipping her chest, and then suddenly he was between her breasts where she felt his tongue tracing a slow circular pattern. Katarina purred as his tongue started licking its way up the side of her breast, until he reached her pink nipple. When his tongue touched the hard, sensitive peak she moaned as her body arched up.

He took the nipple into his mouth and licked, then sucked on it, while her hands which were now in his hair, pushed his head closer to her breast. Her core felt like it was on fire, and she moved her hips against his groin, where she felt his erect shaft. By now she was purring and mewling, until he moved to her other nipple, when she let out another moan, this one even louder than the last.

The sounds she was making were driving Nick even further to the edge, as she responded fully to him. He felt her hunger and desire, which was intensifying his own desire, overwhelming him with a passion he had never experienced at this level before. He kept kissing and licking her breasts, but he let one of his hands slowly move down over her stomach.

His fingers reached the top part of her groin, and he felt curly hair as he slowly let his fingers go lower, until they found her femaleness. Nick could feel how hot and wet she was; even before his finger found the spot he was looking for. She let out almost a scream of pleasure when he started massaging the receptive nub. He then let another finger slide inside her, feeling her walls tighten around him as she moved against it.

Katarina was beyond rational thought at what he was doing to her body, just knowing that she didn't want it to stop. She moved against his hand, moaning as she did so, wanting more, but not knowing what that was. She was aware that she was purring, before she almost growled as he went slightly deeper in her.

The growl caused a wave of lust in Nick, making his manhood throb hard in want and need. He removed his hand, and heard her whimper as she moved her hips against him. Nick knew it was time and he moved his mouth back up to her lips, as he pushed her on her back and raised himself above her.

"Katarina honey, I'll try to be gentle. I love you." Nick managed to say before he went back to kissing her as he positioned his manhood against her femaleness. He felt the heat, and the wetness drawing him in, as he thrust fast into her, feeling her body first welcome him, before going still.

She had felt his hard shaft against her, letting her hips automatically rise up to greet him, as he slid into her. It went from feeling good to feeling like a hot knife had been thrust inside her, and she cried out in pain as she stopped moving. Katarina looked up at Nick, and saw love and concern in his blazing green eyes.

Nick took several deep breaths, and concentrated on not moving inside her, even though he wanted to so badly. He looked down at her, and seeing tears in her eyes, hoped the pain would fade soon. Gently he kissed her eyes, tasting the salty tears, before he started kissing her cheeks.

"Sugar I love you, it will be all right, ok?" Nick whispered in her ear, and sensed her nodding her head, so he went on "It will help if you take a couple of deep breaths, honey." She responded and did as he suggested. On the third breath her body moved slightly against his and she felt something in her core that she'd never felt before.

"Oh, wow, ah." Katarina managed to gasp, as she repeated the movement against him, which made him smile. For Katarina, feeling him inside her just felt right, making her feel complete in a way she'd never ever felt before.

"See, I told you it would get better." Nick replied, before he whispered something in her ear, and she bent her knees in response. Katarina then felt him push slightly deeper into her, pushing against the top of her core. She raised her hips as he pushed forward to her. It took a couple of tries before they established a steady rhythm, and he made it a point to thrust very slowly, controlling the desire to go faster.

Katarina gave herself over to the passion that was engulfing both of them, and she suddenly wanted him to move faster. Her hands were exploring his body, while his were cupping her breast as he kissed her neck.

"Pozhalvysta!" She begged, between the moans and the deep purring sounds that she was making. Nick heard the word, and didn't know what it meant but he sensed the change in the way she was moving against him, as her hands grasped his rear end to pull him closer to her. Nick increased the speed and hardness of his thrusts, as she gasped her delight by moving with him.

He was so close to climaxing, but Nick really wanted Katarina to come first so he changed the angle slightly as he plunged faster and deeper into her. She felt like there was spot deep in her core, and she wanted him to touch it so badly, but it felt like he kept missing it. All of a sudden he moved differently, with more force, and his manhood found the spot.

Katarina screamed Nick's name as she clung to him, feeling like fireworks were exploding inside her body. He heard her screams, which pushed him over the edge and he released with a force that he'd never felt before. Nick emptied into her completely, roaring as he did so from the surrender that his body felt.

After they were done, they lay together, clasping each other tightly, still breathing hard. Nick could feel Katarina's body slightly trembling from the experience, while he was completely wiped out. He was sure that he didn't have the energy to raise his head, if he had needed to.

"Sugar, I love you so much! That was the most incredible experience I've ever had." Nick told her, as he twirled a piece of her soft gold hair around his finger. He wanted nothing more than to stay here with her, enjoying this moment.

"Nicholas, that was, I can't even describe it, what it was like. Will it be like that all time?" Katarina could still feel her body reacting to the fireworks he had released, as she clung tightly to him. His scent was all over her, and she felt very safe, and much loved.

"Actually, next time it will be better because it won't hurt when I enter you." Nick disclosed, as she snuggled next to him, adding "I'm sorry it had to be like that, Sugar."

Katarina smiled and told him "It's all right Nicholas, I understand. That is how it is the first time. I love you." She was starting to feel drowsy, as her eyelids drooped. Nick heard her voice getting slow, as she nestled against him.

"I love you too Katarina. Hey, what does Pozhalvysta mean? " Nick thought of the word she'd said while he was thrusting inside her.

"That is Russian for please; did I say that?" She answered him, almost asleep. Her answer made Nick smile and he mentally noted to ask her to teach him some other important Russian words too, as he drifted off to sleep.

Katarina slowly woke up, becoming aware of Nicholas' chest against her back, the breathing slow and regular. That made her remember why they were in bed, and how they'd made love. She turned slightly, to see him better and try to figure out what time it was. Looking at the sun in the windows she guess in it was early afternoon, so she must have slept for almost an hour.

She looked at Nicholas, only his lower body covered by the sheet, admiring his broad chest. Katarina reached her hand over and felt the strong muscles as she stroked his skin. She then wondered if touching his nipples had the same response as when he'd touched hers. Her finger tips lightly brushed against them, and she felt them harden.

Her hand drifted to the middle of his chest, before she let it move lower, coming to rest above the sheet. Katarina had been shocked at how big he was when she'd seen him naked, now being very curious about the rest of the body. She carefully lifted the sheet, to give her access to what she wanted to see.

"Sugar, are you curious?" Nick's voice was smooth and low, with just a hint of laughter in it as he made his inquiry. Katarina looked up at him, and felt herself flushing at being caught out. She swallowed, and remembered that he was her husband. She had the right to be curious! Her great-aunt's discourses came to her mind as she thought that.

"Yes, Nicholas, I am. Your manhood looks very different now, than it did earlier." She coolly observed, as she perused his body with her dark blue eyes. Nick found himself intrigued at how forward she was now; intrigued and pleased at the same time. As he thought about their earlier encounter he discerned that she was as physically passionate as he was.

"I am a firm believer that curiosity should always be satisfied, Katarina." Nick slightly tilted his chin, raking her body with his eyes, as he replied to her comment "Would you like me to show you what makes me very excited?" He reached out, took her hand, and guided it lower, until it was against his shaft. Her tapering, white fingers automatically circled around his manhood, and she saw him almost shudder.

The skin felt like velvet, but as she grasped him he started to harden and thicken; growing in her hand as if by magic. Nick felt the warmth from the hand flow into his shaft, and he put his hand over hers, slowly demonstrating how to move it up and down, changing the pressure with the movement. By the fourth stroke he had removed his hand, letting her continue on.

Katarina was blown away by the reaction she was causing, both physically and mentally in Nicholas. She saw that he had to be almost twice as big, while the sounds he was making, along with the look on his face let her know that he was enjoying what she was doing. Before she realized it, she was on her back and he was looming on top of her.

"Sugar, you have me all aroused now; what are you going to do about it?" Nick gasped, lust glittering in his eyes. He looked down on her, the dark gold hair spilling on the pillow, as her eyes danced with anticipation.

"Nicholas, you said it would be better the second time, so why don't you show me?" Katarina asked in a soft, breathy voice, a pleased smile on her face. Nick started kissing her, and then proved to her the second time was even better. He also discovered that he came with as much force this time, as last time, which was more than he'd ever had before.


	21. Chapter 21

It was a week since Nick and Katarina had arrived up at the cabin, with the time passing almost too quickly for both of them. Katarina enjoyed the privacy they had, giving her the chance to get used to married life. Nicholas was considerate, kind, and very exciting, making everything easy. They ate fresh fish he'd caught in the lake, as well as some wild birds he'd shot one day. She had been relieved to find out that he did know how to work the stove, so they always had a lovely breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast, but not always first thing in the morning.

Tonight was their last night before they went back to the ranch. He had planned a picnic down by the lake, in the moonlight, which had been very romantic. The air was still rather warm, even with the sun down, and Nick had suggested swimming in the lake. That had led to the experience of making love in the water, which had been incredible.

As they climbed out of the water Nick was sure he just wanted to lie down on the blanket, feeling worn out from the exertions in the lake. However, seeing Katarina's naked body, glowing in the moonlight as she walked out of the water was too arousing. Nick pounced on her with an almost animal intensity, and proceeded to make hot, passionate love to her on the blanket under the full moon. Their screams, as they came at the same time echoed off the water.

Now, they were cuddled up together on the blanket, just a towel covering their lower bodies. Katarina was resting her head on his chest, while he was reclined against the picnic basket, smoking a cigar. He was happier than he'd ever been in his life, and knew that Katarina was the reason. He had been amazed at how she responded to him, and what a quick learner she was. Nick liked the fact that she was willing to try anything, and didn't have the inhibitions that most well bred girls were supposed to have.

"Sugar, can I ask you a very personal question?" Nick inquired, as he exhaled a cloud of slightly sweet smoke. Katarina snuggled closer to him, adjusting her arms around his waist. It had been fun to swim naked, and even more so to make love with the water around them. The session on the blanket though was the most exciting, with Nick's fierceness only making her want him more.

"I'm surprised, after how you just ravished me, that you feel the need to ask permission?" Katarina was giggling as she told him that, which made him smile. Nick liked the fact that she enjoyed their physical activities as much as he did. He had never met a woman before who could match him for passion until now. He had been with a number of very experienced women, but none of them could keep up with him like Katarina could.

"I don't want to offend you, but I'm very curious about something." Nick stopped to gather his thoughts, while she looked up at him taking a draw on his cigar before he went on "I know that you were a virgin when we came up here, but you know a lot about men; I mean you weren't shocked or surprised at stuff." Nick finished badly, sure that he had botched it, and waited for her to get mad.

"Nicholas, are you wondering why I didn't wear a long white cotton gown, which I would only let you lift to my waist? And why I didn't lie very still, with my legs spread, eyes closed, as I thought of my duty?" Katarina was laughing, noticing his discomfort. In her opinion he was too adorable when he was trying to recover from saying something he shouldn't have.

"Yes, that is what I was trying to say. I am not always the most articulate person, in case you haven't noticed." Nick had a rueful look on his face, as he made the statement. The thought came to him, not for the first time, how nice it was to be with someone who understood you. He'd had too many people, especially women, stomp off in a tizzy about an innocent remark he'd made. Katarina had always seen where he was coming from though.

Katarina giggled before she replied with a suggestive note in her voice "You are much more a man of action, than words." As she made her observation she let her eyes roam over his uncovered chest.

She had sat up by then, and he started to get distracted, both by the note in her voice, and the moonlight reflecting off of her bare breasts. Nick decided that when he recovered from their last round of lovemaking, they would do it again, under the moonlight.

"Honey, are you going to tell me?" Nick queried her, wondering what she was going to say. He exhaled another fragrant cloud of smoke into the night air. Katarina sniffed it, catching the scent of the Virginia tobacco. She'd asked him once about the blend, since it smelled different from what most Russians smoked, being more similar to what Englishmen smoked.

"My great-aunt Tatiana, she was my cousin Sophie's grandmother, thought that young ladies would have happier marriages if we knew about men. She was a great beauty and had been married three times, each one very happy." Katarina started to explain, and noticed a puzzled look on Nicholas' face.

"If they were all happy marriages, why was she married three times?" Nick didn't think divorce was common in Russia.

Katarina smiled at him as she explained "Her first two husbands were killed in battle, before she married my great-uncle Andrei. He lived very happily to old age, before he died with her holding his hand. They were still madly in love the day he died."

"Anyway, great-aunt Tatiana explained everything, in nauseating detail, to Sophie and me. Not only what men like, but what gives them pleasure, and that we should enjoy it also. She also believed that a man should be able to relax in his own house, always feeling loved and comforted. At times it was slightly embarrassing, but she insisted we would thank her later." Katarina had fond memories of sitting with the old lady in the sun room, as she talked about men and women.

Nick pulled her back into his arms as he said "Well I certainly want to thank her! Could I write to her?" He thought she sounded liked a grand old lady, and certainly a very wise one. Katarina sighed rather sadly.

"I wish you could, but she passed away two years ago. Great-uncle Andrei had died the year before and she missed him so much. I take comfort from knowing that they are together in heaven." Katarina answered, and felt Nick stroking her hair in sympathy.

It was a while later, and Nick remembered his earlier thought, now that he was recovered. He whispered in Katarina's ear what he was thinking, and suddenly she was straddled on top of him. The moonlight gave her body a surreal white glow as she moved against him. Just before he came he was sure that he saw a shooting star race across the night sky.

_**Earlier that day, Russian Consulate – San Francisco**_

General-Prince Sergey Mikhaylovich Naryshkina arrived at the consulate, having wrapped up the transfer of the Alaskan province to America. He had received a congratulatory telegram from the Tsar for his work in the province. The Tsar also extended best wishes on his niece's marriage, hoping that she would find happiness in America. There was also a wedding gift from their Imperial Majesties, waiting at the consulate.

Prince Sergey wasn't concerned about how he was going to square everything with the Tsar, because it would be almost a year before he would be back in Russia. He was sure that by then the Tsar would be too preoccupied with his latest mistress to be interested in the matter. The Prince was scheduled to leave in four days, for the British colony of Hong Kong, where Sophie and her husband were stationed, at the German Embassy. His wife was already there, waiting for Sophie to give birth to her second child.

The telegram though made him wonder about Ekaterina, and why he had not heard from her by now. If his calculations were correct she should be in England, and she had promised to let him know as soon as she arrived. Prince Sergey had planned on going to Holy Trinity Cathedral, to receive a travel blessing from Bishop Krill. He decided it would also give him the chance to thank the prelate for his help in granting the annulment.

Two hours later His Highness returned to the Russian Consulate, bellowing even louder than he normally did. The overdressed sentries made it a point to look straight ahead, as the prince raced by them. Dmitri Gorsky, Prince Sergey's agent and spy, was in his room, getting ready to go out. He was glad to be back in a town, even a small one like San Francisco; anything was better than New Archangel. However, when the prince's voice reverberated around the consulate, he knew he wasn't going to be going anywhere for a while.

Dmitri was waiting for His Highness at the office the consulate had given him to use. General-Prince Sergey wasted no time in bringing his agent up to date on everything. He then explained to Dmitri what he needed, and sent him off. The prince spent the time waiting by giving the Consular Officer, a junior member of the diplomatic corps, a full show of his wrath.

It only took Dmitri an hour, before he came back to update his boss. Prince Sergey needed transportation to Stockton, but a Russian nobleman of his rank was not going to ride a passenger train. Luckily Leland Stanford, founder of the Central Pacific railroad was willing to lend His Highness a private rail car. Leland Stanford was also president of the Occidental and Oriental Steamship company, on one of whose ships the prince was scheduled to sail to Hong Kong on, having booked a private stateroom, along with seven other rooms for his entourage. Stanford was only too happy to accommodate the Russian dignitary.

"Dmitri, one last assignment for you." Prince Sergey announced, as the agent was walking towards the door. He stopped and turned back around, waiting for His Highness to tell him what he needed done. The scowl on the prince's face had him wondering just what he was going to have to do now.

"Please explain to His Excellency, Bishop Krill that unless he wants to find himself pastor to a church in Siberia he needs to be at the train station tomorrow morning. He is the one that caused this mess, and I am damn well going to see to it that he fixes it." General-Prince Naryshkina was a senior nobleman, and Dmitri knew that he had the pull with the Tsar to ruin the Bishop's career.

"That should make his day!" The agent declared, laughing. He was looking forward to ordering the grand, formal prelate around. Dmitri's younger brother had been sodomized by their village priest, leaving the agent with a violent dislike of the clergy. Working for the General-Prince did have its benefits he decided, as he left the study.

_**Stockton, California**_

The next day the east bound train from San Francisco pulled into Stockton, as more attendants than usual waited at the station. The main office of the Central Pacific Railroad Company had telegraphed ahead that one of Mr. Stanford's personal rail cars, with a distinguished guest, would be attached to the train. It was requested that the guest be treated with first class service, and that suitable transportation be waiting for the dignitary's use.

This had caused grumbling in Stockton, since it meant extra personnel on hand. The livery stable owner, on the other hand, was pleased because he would make his four horse phaeton available. This was the most expensive vehicle he rented out, and because it was a personal request from Mr. Stanford he felt justified in increasing the rate by twenty percent.

An hour before the east bound train had pulled into the Stockton station, the west bound train out of Denver had pulled in. On board was Robert MacLaren, Barrister, and Senior Solicitor to His Grace, the Duke of Sutherland. Mr. MacLaren had just finished up business in Denver, having to do with His Grace's land holdings in what was the territory, and now the state of Colorado.

The issue was complicated because the property extended into the Wyoming Territory, which had not been granted statehood. However, the issue had been resolved satisfactorily for His Grace. The original plan had been for the lawyer to head back east, and then to England. However, the matter of Princess Catherine had come to His Grace's attention.

Normally it would have been turned over to a representative of His Grace's American solicitors, but His Grace decided that since Robert was already so far west, he could go a little further. The benefit was that by sailing from San Francisco, he could meet up with the duke in India, before proceeding back to England. The barrister had no problems gathering information, and had spent the train ride west reading all about the Barkleys.

Robert MacLaren stepped off the train, and noticed all the porters milling about the platform. He wondered if something was going on, but then put the thought from his mind. It did make it easy to find someone to help him though. In less than twenty minutes his luggage was stowed in the locked cargo room, and he'd been given directions to Jarrod Barkley's office.

"Mr. Barkley, you have a visitor." Lewis Mattisen, Jarrod's law clerk announced, as he walked into the office. He laid an engraved calling card on Jarrod's desk, for him to read.

"Mmm, interesting Lew. I wonder why an English lawyer wants to see me; please show him in." Jarrod requested of the young man, who left the room. He came back with an older gentleman, well dressed in a black suit that Jarrod knew was English in style and tailoring. The barrister had a white handlebar mustache and a discreet pearl tie pin in his neckwear.

"Good day Mr. Barkley, I'm Robert MacLaren, senior solicitor to His Grace, the Duke of Sutherland. I'm pleased to meet you." The man's voice was an English accent with just a hint of a Scottish burr to it, and he gave Jarrod a slight bow. They exchanged pleasantries for several minutes, until getting down to business.

"Robert, what can I help you with?" Jarrod was even more curious now, having learned about the man's background. He'd been impressed that the barrister had attended both St. Andrew's University, and Oxford. The older man was also well versed in international aspects of the law, because of his employer's massive overseas holdings.

"If there had been more time I would have written, or quite frankly turned the affair over to one of His Grace's American solicitors. However, His Grace is rather a doting grandfather, and since I was already out west he asked me to handle the matter personally." Robert MacLaren offered up, feeling rather bad that he was barging in on another lawyer like he was.

"Please be assured that Their Graces are very pleased with the match His Highness, her uncle, arranged with your brother. Not that they really expected a say in the affair, but Lady Mary was her father's favorite, and the duke has always taken a special interest for that reason." The English barrister wanted to reassure Jarrod that the marriage was approved of.

Jarrod for his part was starting to feel like he'd come into a play halfway through, and missed crucial details in the first act. He was trying to follow the names and honorifics the barrister was throwing out, but he couldn't connect the dots. The mention of this Lady Mary person made no sense either.

"Robert, I'm afraid I have no idea what you are talking about, and who is Lady Mary?" Jarrod asked a puzzled note in his voice. He watched the Englishman get a surprised look on his face, after Jarrod finished talking.

"Lady Mary was Her Highness mother, of course. It broke his heart when she married Prince Alexander and went to live in Russia. It was an even sadder day when she died, but His Grace took comfort in Princess Catherine, Lady Mary's only child." Robert MacLaren didn't understand why the American lawyer didn't already know all this.

The pieces were starting to come together in Jarrod's mind when he heard Catherine's name, and remembered that her mother had been English. Obviously this duke that Robert MacLaren was referencing was Catherine's grandfather. Jarrod had never given any thought to Catherine's English relations, so he was very curious now.

"I'm a little confused by all this Robert. My sister-in-law, Catherine, said that her grandfather worked for the British government in India. Now you are telling me that he is a duke?" At the back of his mind he wondered if his mother would have warmed up to Catherine sooner if she'd known about her English grandfather.

"Oh what say! How discreet of Her Highness, of course." The barrister gave loud chuckle, before he answered Jarrod's query "His Grace is the Viceroy of India! He is Her Majesty's personal representative on the sub-continent. The Duke of Sutherland is the British government in India!"

Jarrod thought back to the day he'd had lunch with Catherine, and their talk about India. He'd been very impressed at the depth of her knowledge of the colonial government, and he now knew why. She had seen the workings of the government firsthand. Jarrod understood what the position of viceroy meant and he realized that Catherine's English relations were of as high of rank as her Russian ones.

"You are right Robert; Catherine didn't say anything about her grandfather's title. If he is concerned about her, you can come out to the ranch with me to see her. She and my brother should be back this afternoon." Jarrod offered, not wanting to offend Catherine's relatives. He remembered the barrister staying that her grandparents were pleased with the marriage, so at least there wouldn't be problems from that end. He thought it would have been too bad, if just when Nick and Catherine were finally together, someone wanted to throw a wrench in it.

"Well I would be delighted to take you up on the offer, as it would please His Grace mightily. Would you like to go over the financials now, or wait until we can bring Her Highness' husband, your brother, into the talks also?" Robert was pleased that he would get to talk to Her Highness, but he really wanted to get the business taken care of too.

"What 'financials' are you talking about?" Jarrod narrowed his eyes, as he regarded the older, well dressed man. Just when he'd thought he knew where he stood, Robert shifted the floor on him.

"Her money of course. I am rather surprised that your brother hasn't consulted you about the matter, since I assume you take care of the business side of your family's holdings. I'm sure that His Highness, Prince Naryshkina made him aware of her inheritance. Of course, she brought the land to your family, as I'm sure a little money from her father too." Robert replied in a precise, dry voice. He now started to wonder if His Highness had not said anything at all about the English money.

Jarrod was on high alert now, as he listened to what the English barrister was saying. This man knew all about the land grant, and the marriage that had secured it. He also knew what the land grant had meant to their business project. This spoke of a high level of knowledge, especially for a foreigner to have, about their private information. Jarrod tried to discern exactly what was known by this man, and his employer. His lips tightened, as he started to wonder how much his brother had been aware of, if anything. Nick had been so wrapped up in religious guilt that he'd not been very talkative with Jarrod.

"Robert, why don't you tell me what you are referring to. My brother and Catherine married in New Archangel, and I was not present. I'm not sure what her uncle told my brother, since I've only heard about the land grant." Jarrod decided not to tell the story of how Prince Sergey had forced Nick to marry Catherine.

"Why does this not surprise me! Between you and me, these Russian nobles have no sense of business. They all have more money than Midas, so they never think about the mundane side of finance." Robert huffed, before squaring his shoulders.

"His Grace is the second wealthiest nobleman in the kingdom you see. The duke settled a generous sum of money on all of his children when they were born. When Lady Mary married Prince Alexander, His Grace was uncomfortable with the state of the Russian economy. He tied the money up so that while she had use of the income, the capital could not be touched. After her death the money become the property of Princess Catherine. His Grace had settled some money on his granddaughter, with the same restrictions." The barrister explained it all, as he pulled out several file folders.

"I think your family will be pleased that your brother married such a wealthy woman. Of course that doesn't count whatever value the land was that she brought to the marriage." Robert passed the folders over to Jarrod, who started looking through them. He was very impressed with the figures he was seeing, but wasn't sure that Nick would feel the same way.

"I need to tell you that my brother is a very proud man, and assumes that it is his responsibility to provide for his wife." Jarrod was thinking of how fate worked, as he thought of Nick. Most men would be thanking their lucky stars to have a wife with this kind of money, but his brother was the one man who wouldn't feel that way.

"Jarrod, I think we need to make your brother aware of this, before any decisions are made. Is there somewhere we can go for lunch, before we head out to your ranch?" Robert shook his head, starting to think that these Americans were almost as bad as the Russians about finance.

Victoria was just finishing lunch with Heath and Audra in the dining room. There had been several references to peace and quiet coming to an end today. Nick and Catherine were due back this afternoon, and having Nick in residence always increased the noise level. Victoria had secretly missed her middle son's loudness, as the house didn't seem the same without it. She consoled herself with the thought that her son was going to be very happy with his wife.

"Miz Barkley, there is a gentleman here to see you." Silas had come into the dining room, and everyone at the table turned to look at him, as he continued "He says he is Miz Catherine's uncle." Victoria looked very surprised, but rose from the table, as Heath and Audra followed suit. They followed Silas into the hall, where an older man dressed in the height of continental fashion, impeccably tailored in pearl grey wool was waiting.

"Good afternoon, I am General-Prince Sergey Mikhaylovich Naryshkina; this is my agent Dmitri Gorsky, and I believe you have already met His Excellency Bishop Krill." The well dressed man removed his top hat and bowed, before introducing the members of his party.

As Victoria listened to Catherine's uncle, she now understood why the Russian girl had never been bothered by how loud Nick was. Her uncle was as loud, if not louder than Nick, she observed as his voice rang around the hall. She also had a private chuckle as she looked at Bishop Krill, looking a little less imperious than he'd had when he'd asked her and Jarrod to leave his office.

Victoria decided that Prince Sergey had put the prelate in his place, and she wondered if the Bishop had tried to boss the prince around too. She remembered what Catherine had told her, about her uncle, how he'd worked to get serfdom abolish, and the son he'd lost to a senseless war.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. I am Victoria Barkley; this is my daughter Audra, and my son Heath." Victoria greeted the man warmly, and then said hello to Dmitri and the Bishop, who acknowledged her. She took note that the Bishop was in his black clerical garb, with a heavily jeweled cross around his neck. Dmitri wore a simpler version, in black, of what the Prince was wearing.

"I must apologize for showing up unannounced, but I was hoping to see Ekaterina before I left America." Sergey wasn't sure how much the woman knew about the marriage, so he decided to play it safe for now.

"She and Nick went up to our cabin a week ago, but they are due back this afternoon. Why don't we go have tea and get better acquainted, Your Highness?" Victoria inclined her head to show that everyone was invited. Silas heard what she said, and went down to the kitchen as Prince Sergey and his party followed her into the front parlor. Audra and Heath were exchanging glances and smiles, as they brought up the rear. The thought of Victoria welcoming a Russian noble into her house, after her well voiced comments was not lost on them.


	22. Chapter 22

Jarrod had taken Robert MacLaren over to the Cattleman's Hotel for lunch, and they were now heading out to the ranch. Lunch had been interesting, as Robert talked about his trip across America, as well as his upcoming voyage to India. The English barrister had also offered up the possibility of some joint business interests if the Barkley's would be interested.

They rounded the gentle curve of the driveway and saw the wrought iron gate with its white stone posts in front of them. Jarrod drove the buggy through the gate and up to the front of the house. He was surprised to see the big four horse phaeton from the livery in front of the porch. The driver, Abe Forrest, was with the horses, while an older man dressed in a black day suit was lounging by one of the rear wheels, smoking a cigarette.

What took Jarrod by surprise though were the four outriders that accompanied the phaeton. Each man was dressed in a suit that looked foreign in style, and wearing a bowler type hat. They were at each corner of the phaeton, their back to it as they scanned the horizon. Upon seeing Jarrod the two closest to him sat up straight, glared at him coldly, as they put their hands on the revolvers they wore in shoulder holsters. Whoever had arrived in the phaeton obviously took personal security seriously

"Robert, it looks like you are not are only visitor today. I am curious as to who the person is." The lawyer observed to his companion, who discreetly studied the outriders. The English barrister, because of his work and travels, was good at reading people.

"The man in black smoking is probably a valet, or other senior house servant type. Those suits and hats are definitely European in cut and design. I don't know much about firearms, other than I doubt those guns are British made." Robert told Jarrod, a small idea forming at the back of his mind, as to who the visitor could be. He truly hoped he was wrong about the nationality, not wanting to deal with that complication.

Jarrod and Robert disembarked from the buggy and started walking up to the front portico when one of the outriders brought his horse directly in front of them. However, before the outrider or Jarrod could say anything Abe Forrest's voice rang out.

"Bugger off, this is Jarrod Barkley, and he lives here." Abe swung his dusty hat at the outriders, before addressing Jarrod "Sorry bout that Mr. Barkley." The outriders moved back, but continued to regard Jarrod and Robert with piercing stares. Jarrod had a word with Abe, suggesting moving the carriage and company to the barn, which the driver agreed with.

"Shall we go inside and see who needs that kind of protection?" Jarrod inquired of the English barrister, who bowed his head in resignation. He had seen a case at the back of the phaeton that had a monogram done in Cyrillic letters, surmounted by a crown. Robert wondered at the odds of this happening.

Entering the house Jarrod and his companion crossed the hall and walked into the front parlor, which was full of people. In addition to his family members Jarrod saw an extremely well dressed older man, a middle age man in a black suit, and a black robed clergyman with a jeweled cross hanging from a heavy gold chain around his neck.

Victoria introduced the guests in the parlor, while Jarrod introduced the English barrister. After introductions had been made all around, everyone sat down as Silas brought more tea and coffee into the room. Heath exchanged a pointed glance with his mother and Jarrod, as he watched the prince and the English lawyer look with barely concealed distaste at each other.

"Jarrod, I was just explaining to Catherine's uncle that she and Nick should be back shortly, from the trip they took the cabin." Victoria announced, which led to Jarrod telling Robert MacLaren about property up by the lake. She had been surprised to learn who Catherine's grandfather was, but she realized that it only made sense that her English relations were of as high of rank as her Russian ones. It also reminded her of Catherine's grace, because she'd never once bragged about her family.

Bishop Krill had been silent, but was listening with keen interest as he heard about the couple up at the cabin. He hoped that what his friend, Hamilton Williams, had told him was true. He had not appreciated General-Prince Naryshkina's high handed attitude or his threats about Siberia. The Bishop also thought it would be serve the nobleman right, if the marriage was valid. From his point of view, it didn't matter whether you were a peasant or a prince; God was not there to be played with.

Prince Sergey was not happy to see the representative of Ekaterina's English relations, having not forgiven them for making her leave India. He also didn't want to have to confess the deception he'd done to the Englishman. He wondered why the barrister was here, and worked the conversation around to that question.

"I just came from Denver, where I was dealing with some matters regarding some property His Grace owns in the area. He telegraphed me the news of Her Highness' marriage, and requested that I present his best wishes in person." Robert MacLaren responded in his best courtroom voice, adding "Of course Their Graces would have preferred not to have learned about the marriage from the Russian Ambassador, at a public event."

"It is too bad that His Grace was not more interested in his granddaughter's well being when his wife was throwing her out of India." Prince Sergey's booming voice, laced with irony, echoed around the room. In his opinion it took a lot of gall for the duke to be concerned now about Ekaterina. Robert MacLaren though, was not one to be cowed by a loud Russian prince.

"It put Their Graces in an awkward position, learning of a family matter from an outsider." Robert MacLaren sniffed, as he looked away. Honestly, he thought, Russians had no sense of decorum about anything!

"I am sure that Duchess Harriet could have cared less about it, as long as Ekaterina was out of her hair. That woman ought to be ashamed for what she did!" The prince's tone was even louder, and Jarrod was suddenly glad that Nick wasn't here yet. He wasn't sure his ears could take two loud men at the same time. It did though give him insight into Catherine and Nick though; if you'd grown up with the man of the house being loud, you wouldn't mind another booming male voice.

"Her Grace over reacted slightly." Robert MacLaren kept his courtroom voice, but it didn't carry the conviction it had earlier. He knew the woman all too well, and tried to avoid her as much as possible.

"Ha, that is like saying a hurricane is a rainstorm. Her Grace is a, well I'll leave it at witch, since there are ladies present. Everyone knows that the only reason Sutherland is Viceroy is because Her Majesty cannot stand the Duchess!" Prince Sergey's voice was now at an all time high, as he made his proclamation. Victoria listened to what the prince said, as she remembered what Catherine had told her about her grandmother.

"Your Highness, Robert, would you like a drink?" Jarrod managed to get the words out, once the prince's voice had quieted. He privately thanked his lucky stars that he'd had a lot of practice at that kind of thing, because of Nick. He was also concerned about the animosity between the Russian and the Englishman. Even if they didn't need a drink, he did.

Nick and Katarina were almost home from the cabin, having just entered the Barkley property. They were reminiscing about the first time she'd made the drive, which had them giggling. After the lovely night by the lake, they'd slept in the next morning. Nick woke up first, and by the time she was up he'd drawn a warm bath for her, which felt wonderful. She'd been a little sticky from the lake, and had enjoyed the chance to wash everything, including her hair.

Katarina had then enjoyed Nick drying her, which led to them making love again, so it was mid-morning before they left. Nick had told her that one of the wives of the loggers took care of the cabin, so they didn't have to worry about closing it up. She had also been glad that Nick knew all about the kitchen stuff, as she was rather scared of the stove. He wasn't the least bit offended when she'd told him that she had very few domestic skills. Nick had leered at her and said that he only cared about her other skills, which were wonderful according to him.

They pulled up in front of the portico, and Nick looked over her with admiration. She had on the white blouse that was decorated with blue ribbon threaded through eyelet trim at the collar, sleeves, and yoke. The skirt was blue, with a big blue bow in the rear, instead of a bustle; it was the same outfit she'd worn for their picnic after church. Nick thought, not for the first time, that she looked exactly like a wrapped up present. Now though, he smiled because he was the one who had the privilege of opening the gift.

"Welcome home Katarina Barkley! May I carry you over the threshold?" Nick helped her from the carriage and escorted her up the shallow stairs. They paused in front of the beautiful wooden doors, as he asked his question. He nuzzled against her ear, admiring her honey colored hair that was put up simply with a pretty blue ribbon.

"Nicholas, you want to carry me over the threshold again?" She smiled at him with love, as she put her arms around his neck. Katarina admired how handsome, and strong he was as she gazed at him.

"Yes, I need to carry you over the threshold again, Sugar! This is your home now, and where we will spend the rest of our lives together!" Nick declared, as he picked her up after opening the door and strode proudly into the front hall. Once there he set her down, and then started kissing her passionately, as his hands moved from her waist down to her hips. Katarina melted against him, letting her fingers stroke the nape of his neck.

After Jarrod had suggested drinks to the group in the front parlor, Silas had appeared as if by magic with a tray and glasses. All the men had various forms of scotch or whiskey, while the ladies had sherry. Jarrod had heard Silas telling Prince Sergey that they had vodka chilling, which would be ready by the evening. He wondered where the vodka was coming from, but decided not to ask.

The round of drinks had distracted both the prince and the English barrister, who were now comparing notes about their upcoming trips. Robert MacLaren had been to Hong Kong two years previously, and was advising the Prince about the climate. Heath was having an interesting chat with Bishop Krill about what religion really meant, while Dmitri was regaling Audra with details on what ladies wore in St. Petersburg society.

The front door opening then had caught everyone's attention, and looking over to the front hall they saw Nick and Catherine locked in a passionate kiss. It was very apparent that the couple had no idea that they had an audience. Heath, thinking about what he'd seen in the meadow, decided he'd better step in before things went any further.

"Ah, Nick, Catherine, welcome home!" Heath strode into the front hall, his boots stomping, clearing his throat loudly as he did so. He made it a point to talk louder than usual, as he strode up almost next to Nick. He privately wanted to laugh at the couple, that after having spent a week totally alone, they still couldn't get enough of each other. At the back of his mind he wondered if Nick was going to rising at 4:30am from now on.

"Heath! Good to see you!" Nick raised his head as his voice boomed around the hall, but kept his arms around Katarina, who stayed close to him. After greeting Heath he looked around the hall and saw all the visitors "We didn't expect a homecoming like this!" He recognized the prince and the bishop, but no one else, and he wondered what was going on.

"Zdravstvju Dyadya Sergey; my apologies, we should speak English! Uncle Sergey how are you? What are you doing here?" Katarina saw her uncle and was shocked, not having thought she would see him again. She went over and hugged him, and the dapper prince returned it, love, and affection apparent on his face.

Prince Sergey was at a loss for words, after having seen the couple in that passionate embrace. His original plan was to get the Bishop to annul the marriage, and take Ekaterina with him to Hong Kong. The colony was British, so she would be safe from the Tsar's meddling. He had not believed Bishop Krill when the man had tried to tell him that the marriage was valid, dismissing it as heresy.

He didn't want to announce what his purpose in coming out to Stockton had been, especially in front of the English barrister. Prince Sergey had always prided himself on landing on his feet, due to his quick wits. He had commanded the Tsar's army in battle, and stared down his own father over the serfdom matter. Now, he remembered Robert MacLaren saying that the Duke and Duchess were pleased with marriage. He also thought about the note from the Tsar, and the wedding gift he had in his case, from their Imperial Majesties.

The prince had wanted his niece safely married and away from Russia. He had always assumed England, but now decided that America was a good option also. Prince Sergey mentally reviewed the information he remembered about the Barkley's, and knew that they very important here in America. Even without her English money, Ekaterina would be taken care of, and from what he saw of the couple, she would be loved also.

"Ekaterina I wanted to see you one last time before I sail for Hong Kong, to see Sophie and Werner! I also have a gift from their Imperial Majesties, in honor of your marriage." Prince Sergey raised his voice several more octaves as he made his announcement, adding "I was at Holy Trinity receiving a travel blessing from Bishop Krill, and I mentioned my plans for coming to see you. He _**absolutely insisted**_ he come along, isn't that right Your Excellency?"

Bishop Krill heard the implied threat in the nobleman's voice, as he made his statement. The Bishop liked San Francisco, and had no interest in Siberia, which he was sure the General-Prince could arrange. The prelate realized that the prince had just been trying to look out for his niece in his own high handed, misguided way. It had all worked out though, judging by what he'd seen of the couple, so he was willing to go along with the prince.

"Yes, His Highness is correct. I wanted to make sure that you were happy, which it looks like you are?" The bishop queried in his gentle voice, as he regarded the couple. Dmitri wanted to roll his eyes at the clergyman's quick agreement with the prince about the trip. The agent had in fact almost had to physically threaten the bishop to get him on the train.

"Of course, we are very happy! Right Sugar?" Nick had stridden over to where Katarina was standing, next to her uncle, and put his arm around her shoulders. She cuddled up next to him, gazing at him with adoration. He had planned on taking her upstairs, but realized now that he wouldn't be able to do that. Instead he settled for kissing her again, much to the dismay of Robert MacLaren, who thought that kind of thing belonged behind a closed door.

Just then Silas came into the hall with a bottle of champagne and some glasses, which made Prince Sergey clap approvingly, while bellowing out a Russian phrase. The couple broke off the kiss, and Katarina smiled fondly at her uncle. Nick also smiled at the man, forgiving him for what he'd done up in New Archangel. He saw that it was because of the prince that he had Katarina as his wife.

When the champagne was done, Victoria offered invited everyone to stay for the night, which was accepted by the prince's party. Robert MacLaren was hoping to make the night train to San Francisco, so he declined. Nick saw that Katarina wanted some time with her uncle, so he told her he was going to go check the barn. He excused himself and started heading out of the room, with Heath in tow.

"Brother Nick, not so fast! Robert here needs to go over several business matters with you." Jarrod directed the request at Nick, before he turned to the English barrister to ask "Do you need Catherine also?"

"It is entirely up to Her Highness if she wants to sit in." Robert said in a precise voice, not really thinking a woman should be involved in matters of finance.

"Nicholas, I'm comfortable with you taking care of it." Katarina broke off her conversation from her uncle and the bishop, to address the question. Nick kissed her on the forehead, before he sighed and followed Jarrod and Robert MacLaren into the study. He wasn't sure what it was about, other than having something to do with her English relatives.

"Jarrod, what is this about?" Nick asked in a loud voice, as Robert MacLaren winced. He was starting to see why His Highness had married his niece off to the man. In his opinion, Prince Sergey and Nick Barkley were cut from the same bolt of cloth.

"Nick, if I may call you that?" The barrister asked, and after Nick nodded his head, went on "I have been instructed by His Grace, your wife's grandfather, to bestow his blessing on the marriage. That brings up the matter of the money she inherited from her mother, as well as the trust fund the duke had established for Her Highness when she was born."

Robert brought up several file folders, and laid them out on the desk in front of Nick. He went through and explained the various amounts, and holdings they represented. Nick for his part was mind boggled, both at who Katarina's grandfather was, and the amount of money involved. Jarrod was watching his brother carefully, and wished he would have had the chance to talk privately with him first.

"This is unnecessary! Please tell His Grace that I am capable of providing for Katarina without his assistance!" Nick's voice blazed, as he stood up quickly and pushed the file folders away, adding "We are not taking any of the money!" He was proud that his family had made their money themselves, by sweat and hard work.

The English barrister sighed, thinking these Americans were almost as bad as the Russians. It was with pleasure that he informed Nick "It is too late for that. We have been paying the income from the trust accounts into Her Highness' account at the bank here Stockton. It was set up over three months ago when she first arrived."

Nick was now flabbergasted at what he was being told, and looked over at Jarrod for confirmation. Jarrod shrugged his shoulders, knowing nothing about the matter. He did think it strange that Nick wasn't aware of it, because with the laws in the state Catherine could not have opened up the account without her husband's permission. Jarrod told his brother that, and received a 'not helping' look in response.

"Nick, do you and Her Highness not talk?" Robert MacLaren inquired in a cold tone, thinking about that display of affection he'd seen in the hallway. Nick was seething by now, and let loose with a string of curse words, before he stomped out with the comment that he was going to the barn.

"Jarrod, is your brother always that excitable?" The English barrister had, in the past had some unhappy clients, but never one like Nick Barkley. Robert added "Most people, when I tell them they have this kind of money are very happy." He was also trying to figure out what to tell His Grace, suddenly glad of the long sea voyage to India.

"Robert, let me take care of this for you. Leave the paperwork and I will get the sign offs, and then process the forms. I can send them to you either in India, or to your office in London if that works for you." Jarrod offered, feeling bad for the formal correct British attorney.

"Listen; please don't take Nick's outburst the wrong way. I told you that my brother is very proud, and he loves Catherine very much. Make sure His Grace knows that." Jarrod didn't want Robert to walk away with the wrong impression of Nick, and tell Catherine's grandfather about it.

"Jarrod, it says a lot about a man that he would walk away from this kind of money, and I know His Grace will be impressed with that. However, my main responsibility is to look out for my clients, and Her Highness is, indirectly, a client of mine. It is nice for ladies to have some money of their own, I'm sure you agree." Robert reassured Jarrod, thinking that Nick could never be accused of being a fortune hunter.

Jarrod and the English lawyer finished their business, and then Jarrod arranged for one of the hands to drive Robert back into town. After seeing the man off, Jarrod debated going to look for Nick, but then decided to let him cool off. He gathered up all the paperwork regarding Catherine's money and sighed as he did so. Jarrod pictured Nick and Catherine in the front hall, kissing passionately, and hoped that the money wouldn't be a problem. He was also amazed, not for the first time, at how his proud brother could get so riled up.


	23. Chapter 23

_**Author's Note: I apologize for the long delay in posting this chapter, but I was out of town for over a week.**_

Nick had spent all afternoon at the barn, checking to see what had happened since he'd been gone. He was impressed with how well Brandywine and Nostrovia were doing. Jock, who oversaw the horses, told him that Katarina had visited the foal every day. That made Nick smile, as he thought of his wife; he then thought about what the damn English lawyer had told him about her. Nick was hurt that Katarina had not told him about her English relations, and very bothered by all the money she had. He was also upset about the bank account she'd not mentioned.

He entered the house from the back and walked upstairs, hoping he would have time before dinner to talk to her about everything. Nick walked down to his room, and then decided to go see if Katarina was available. Standing in front of the door, he wasn't sure about knocking, since it was now his room too. They had decided that he would move into the guest room with her, since it had a bathroom of its own. Nick smiled as he pictured Katarina telling him she would redecorate it so it wouldn't be so flowery. He'd replied that he didn't care what the room looked like, as long as she was there.

The door opened up and Katarina saw Nick "Nicholas, there you are!" She declared before putting her arms around him. Nick noticed that she was dressed for the evening, wearing the pretty pink rainbow dress she'd had on the night they were supposed to go to the concert. Without thinking about it he put his arms around her, and started kissing her. She was so beautiful, and he loved her so much. He then remembered what he'd learned in the study earlier, and he stepped back some.

"Katarina, we need to talk." Nick stated in a serious voice, which caused Katarina to look concerned.

"Is everything all right? Did something happen to Nostrovia while we were gone?" She inquired as she stepped back from the door, turning to walk into the room. "Oh, did you get everything squared away with grandpapa's lawyer?" Katarina looked at Nicholas over her shoulder. Before he could reply he heard a voice yelling from down the hall 'Ekaterina'.

"Nicholas, I think my uncle needs something, so I'd better go check. We can talk tonight, after dinner, when we come upstairs. It will be nice to be together all night long." She told him, giving him a wink as she said it. He suddenly wished they were back at the cabin, where it was just the two of them. She left the room, and Nick sighed before he went to his room, to get ready for the evening.

Dinner was almost done, and Katarina had to give Victoria high points for handling her uncle and his entourage. She had gone one step further and invited Reverend Thompson and his wife to join them for the meal. Bishop Krill and the Reverend were kindred spirits from the get go, in addition to the fact that they were both friends with Bishop Hamilton Williams.

Dmitri Gorsky, her uncle's agent was a total ladies man, in the sense that he knew exactly what to say to women. He was well versed in fashion, theater, and social gossip so Audra and Maria Thompson were very entertained. Maria was not quite the typical 'pastors' wife, coming from a very old southern family out of Maryland.

Katarina looked at the table as the last course was being served and knew that on so many levels she should be happy. Victoria had welcomed her, and her uncle, into the family circle with open arms. She also appreciated how her mother-in-law had thought to invite the Reverend and his wife to dinner, so Bishop Krill would have some company. It brought home to her that Victoria was happy with her marriage to Nicholas. Thinking that made her realize that Nicholas was not happy with how things were.

It was hard, Katarina saw now, to be so tuned into someone, that you knew everything about them. It made for great sex, which she truly enjoyed, but at other times it made you feel rather helpless. She thought about how Nicholas had told her earlier that they needed to talk, and she sensed right away something was wrong. Unfortunately Uncle Sergey had called for her just then, and she felt that he might need some assistance about the evening's events.

Once dinner was done they went into the library, for brandy, cigars, and pool – or what the Russians called 'Snooker' which was the British term for the game. Prince Sergey and Dmitri were very excited at the sight of the table, as well as the offer of cigars and brandy. Bishop Krill did not play snooker, or billiards, but he liked a good cigar with Cuban tobacco, as well as French brandy. Reverend Thompson was enjoying spending time with a clergy man who enjoyed decent tobacco and after dinner spirits, as well as having a sound knowledge of biblical teachings.

Nick had spent the evening having a better time than he meant to, because the company was so good. Katarina's uncle was very easy to talk to, and knew a great deal about estate management. He appreciated that the man treated him as an equal, in how he talked to him about affairs. Nick had already seen, in the man's public pronouncement in front of the English lawyer, that the prince was very happy with marriage.

There was also, at the back of Nick's mind, the fact that the man had returned the check that was supposed to pay for the land grant. It was a great deal of money to turn one's back on, but he had seen how much the man cared about his niece. However, he just wanted time alone with Katarina, to talk to her about what he'd learned. Nick also felt bad, because she only had so much time with her uncle, before he left.

"This is has been great, but I need to call it a night. I've been gone for too long, and I need to get out in the morning and see what has been happening." Nick gave the evening another fifteen minutes, before he made his announcement, adding "Katarina honey, I'm sure you want to visit with your uncle more." He smiled at her, not wanting to deprive her of the visit.

"Nicholas, actually I'll come up with you! It's been a long day, and Uncle Sergey and I can visit tomorrow, before he leaves." Katarina was really concerned about what was going on with Nicholas. They said their good nights and went upstairs. As they walked down the hall she took his hand, and felt his fingers tighten around hers. She took it to be a good sign, and then he held the door open for her when they arrived at her room.

"Nicholas, you said earlier you wanted to talk to me, before we were interrupted; can we talk now?" Katarina asked him, as she sat down at the dressing table. Nick brought a chair over from the sitting area, and placed it by where she was sitting. He sat down close to her, thinking how lovely she was. He had also been touched that she was giving up time with her uncle to come upstairs with him. She was a good and kind person, he knew, so he didn't understand why she hadn't told him everything about her.

"Katarina, why didn't you tell me who you grandfather was?" Nick asked simply, thinking that if it was anyone else he would be raging, but he couldn't imagine ever doing that to her. He didn't need to, because she'd always seen where he was coming from. He sighed, and then was distracted by how she was taking down her hair, watching as she removed the hair pins. The honey colored pieces fell below her shoulders, catching the light, and gleaming.

"Nicholas, I'm sorry I should have told you, but honestly, I was a little embarrassed about it." She confessed, looking at him in the mirror, before going on "Everyone was already gaga and impressed over my title and who my uncle was; it is rather off putting to think that people only want to know you because you are a princess."

Nick thought about what she was saying, and had to admit that she had a point. He had seen how everyone fawned all over her, and he remembered thinking how nice it was that she didn't let it go to her head. He could also understand her comment about people only wanting to know you because of the title; there were a number of people who only wanted to be friends with him because of his family. Those thoughts were all going through his mind, but her next sentence caught him by surprise.

"There was also the fact that I was falling in love with you Nicholas, and I wanted you to fall in love with me. You were already concerned that I wouldn't be happy here, and if you'd known my grandfather was a duke, well I was afraid you wouldn't want anything to do with me." Katarina admitted, looking at him in the mirror again.

By now her hair was completely down, and Nick couldn't resist the urge he had, to stroke it. He reached over, and let his hand rest on her head before his fingers lightly touched the soft strands. Nick looked up at her in the mirror, and saw how concerned she was. He smiled as he considered what she'd just told him. It was true, those first couple of weeks that he'd been worried about how a Russian princess would do on the ranch.

"Oh Sugar, I was falling in love with you too! And you're right, I was sure that you were too good for me, and the ranch." Nick conceded, as he thought about her first month on the ranch, before he went on "I see now why you didn't tell me, because I would have felt even worse about the position I'd put you in." He leaned forward in his chair, and put his arms around her shoulders, burying his face in her hair.

"The position you put me in? What do you mean? I totally disrupted your life, and your family's lives too. Nicholas, you were so kind to me, right from the beginning, and I felt awful at how you were stuck with me." She was enjoying him being close to her, and she snuggled closer to him. They stayed like that for a minute, and then she heard Nick laugh.

"There is something funny about the fact that we both thought we'd messed up each other's lives. Instead, we made them better – at least I know how much better you've made mine." Nick informed her smiling, as she smiled at him. However, the good feeling didn't last, as he remembered the money the barrister had told him about. He removed his arms from around her shoulders, and pulled slightly back. Katarina watch him in the mirror, and saw a tense look cross his face. She reached down to the dressing table, and found what she was looking for.

"Nicholas, I think we have more talking to do. Would you mind undoing my dress while we talk?" Katarina handed him the button hook, and he gave her a puzzled glance before he took it with a nod. He brushed the honey colored hair off to the side, feeling its softness between his fingers. Nick took the button hook and starting at the top slowly worked on the row of tiny buttons down the back.

"Katarina, you have a great deal of money, in your own name; and a bank account here in Stockton I didn't know about." Nick admitted what was really bothering him, and was surprised to see her eyes fly wide open.

"What do you mean you don't know about it? You took me to the bank, introduced me to Harrison, and asked him to help me in any way I needed?" Katarina had turned around to face him, her blue eyes blazing as the unbuttoned dress now fell from her shoulders. Nick had never been so unable to focus in his whole life; it wasn't just the eyes shooting sapphire lightening, it was her creamy shoulders and the beginnings of her bosom showing too.

"I took you to the bank?" Nick finally managed a coherent statement, trying to remember when the visit supposedly occurred. Katarina stood up, and stepped out of the dress, so she was standing in front of him in pink silk bloomers trimmed with white lace, and a corset that was trimmed with pink ribbons. He saw the straps for her camisole were the same pink silk edged in white lace. All that pink and white, tight around her figure was playing with his brain, while her loose caramel colored hair gleamed in the soft lights.

"It was right after I arrived in the valley, Nicholas! I told you that I had money I needed to exchange, and when we went into town you took me to the bank. After you introduced me to Harrison, you left to go check an order at the hardware store." Katarina was shocked that he was acting like he was, and starting to get rather annoyed about it.

Nick now remembered the conversation, because she'd said that her cash was all in British pounds, and Swiss francs. Katarina said that she wanted to have some American currency, since the foreign paper money was not useable. Nick had introduced her to Harrison Lanier, Vice President of the bank, and then excused himself. His order at the hardware store was already a month late, and he had wanted to see if it had come in.

"You told me that you had currency to exchange, but nothing about opening up a bank account!" Nick still didn't understand how it had happened, but decided that Harrison had taken carte blanche from Nick's statement about helping Katarina anyway possible.

"Nicholas, I had my letter of credit from the Bank of England, and since I was going to be staying here in the valley for six months, I wanted to be able to cover my expenses. Nina needed to be paid, and I had no idea what it was going to be like living with your family. Honestly, you all were strangers, and I just wanted to protect myself." Katarina turned away from him, feeling slightly hurt at his attitude. She reached around to her back, to try to undo the tie that was holding her corset in place.

He was incredulous at what she was saying, about needing to take care of her. He was her husband, and that was his responsibility; and did she really think his family would be a problem? Even as Nick thought that he remembered how his mother had been, when she'd first met Katarina. He also heard her concern for Nina in what she'd said, about paying the woman's salary. In truth, he'd never inquired about the affair, just figuring that Katarina's uncle had taken care of it.

Nick looked up and saw that she was trying to get the tie for her corset undone, but not having any luck. He stood up and came over to stand in back of her, as his fingers reached down to untie the knot. They brushed against her fingers, and intertwined together. It came to him that those first couple of weeks he'd been so wrapped up in feeling guilty that he'd not asked the questions he should of. Katarina would not have had to figure out on her own the financial stuff; he left her holding the bag.

"I'm sorry Sugar, I hadn't thought of any of that before. I guess I just assumed, wrongly I see now, that you would have told me if you needed anything." Nick sighed, looking at her in the mirror as he finished undoing the tie on the corset. He couldn't believe how he'd botched everything up, including this talk they were having. If she threw him out of the room he wouldn't blame her one bit, he thought to himself; he was an ass.

Katarina regarded Nick in the mirror, and saw how contrite he looked as he stood there. She knew what it took for someone as proud as he was to apologize. Thinking that, she loosened the corset, taking a deep breath as she did so, before she raised it over her head to take it off. Standing there in her pink silk underwear, she scrutinized him for minute. Katarina then sat down on the padded bench, and raised one of her legs.

He watched as she took the frilly ribbon garter off, and then rolled down the silk stocking from beneath her bloomers. Nick felt distracted again, as he looked at her creamy skin, and suddenly wanted her out of the pink silk underwear. By now she had both her stockings off, leaving only the camisole and bloomers on. He thought it totally unfair to his thought processes that the camisole was held shut by a pink satin bow that seemed to be taunting him.

It came to him, rather late he decided, that trying to have a serious talk while she was undressing was a bad idea. Katarina reduced his body, and brain, to mush quicker than any woman ever had. Katarina, sitting there only in her pink silk and lace underwear, conquered him completely. He also realized that she hadn't thrown him out of the room yet, so maybe there was hope. Nick then remembered something else he needed to talk to her about, and it might get him thrown out of the room.

"Katarina, you are my wife and it is my responsibility to provide for you. I don't want to take any of your family's money." Nick declared in his best no-nonsense tone, and waited for the explosion that should be coming directly at him.

"Nicholas, I am very honored to be your wife, and I know that you will provide for me. However, you had no problems accepting the land grant, so why should my other money bother you?" Katarina stood up as she asked the question, putting her arms around his neck.

Nick almost groaned having her soft, warm body so close to his, as faint whiffs of her floral fragrance reached his nostrils. He had his hands around her waist, feeling the softness of the pink silk rub against his skin. It took every ounce of self control, but he managed to get his brain to work, to think about what she'd just said. Nick had to give her credit for her question, because it was valid.

"That was different!" Nick knew that even to his ears it sounded lame, and she just gave him an amused smile in reply. He sighed, wishing he was better at explaining things "The land grant was different because we purchased it." Even as he said he that, Nick remembered that her uncle had returned the check for the purchase. He truly felt he was standing on quick sand, and sinking rapidly.

"No, you didn't. Uncle Sergey was so grateful for what you did that he returned the check to Jarrod. I will ask again, Nicholas, what is the problem?" Katarina's voice was cool and smooth, as her hands rubbed his shoulders. He groaned, both at the fact she knew about the returned check, and the feelings she was arousing in him.

"I am your husband, and I want to be the one who provides for you, Katarina. It isn't your, or your family's responsibility, it is mine." Nick stated simply, hoping she would understand his feelings about the matter.

"Nicholas, I have already told you that I know that you will provide for me. We don't need to use any of my money; it can just sit in the bank. I love you, and I trust you – that is why we are now really married." Katarina responded, very seriously, taking a breath "Your land is now my land, and I don't want to see you turn your back on what could be an additional source of capital, or an emergency fund, if something happens."

Nick listened to what she was saying, and offering to him, and the ranch. He also thought about her comment about the land grant, and how it wasn't any different than this. Katarina choose that moment to cuddle up next to him, adjusting her body to fit perfectly with his. Deciding that he didn't want to continue an argument he wasn't going to win, he surrendered; sort of.

"The only way I will agree is if we don't touch the money unless it is an absolute emergency. You let me provide for you, and you don't spend any of your money on what I should buy, ok?" Nick found the resolve and the strength to make his stipulation, and he gave her a direct stare as he said it.

"That sounds like a wise decision Nicholas, but I would like to request one small exception?" Katarina agreed in a soft voice, as she moved her mouth to his ear "If I want to buy you a birthday or Christmas gift, I want to be able to spend my own money for that." Her breath was warm and slightly tickled his ear as she made her request.

Her floral scent was even stronger now, and her body moved slightly as she whispered in his ear. Nick's hands started exploring her back, before reaching under the pink silk to feel her smooth skin. Katarina nuzzled against his neck, before she started lightly kissing it. He thought her request was reasonable, and nodded his head, as his hand started stroking the underside of her breast. She reached her lips up to his, letting him taste the warm sweetness. Her tongue started circling his in a sensual dance that pushed Nick over the edge.

His last thought was that even though it seemed like he'd won the argument, he wasn't sure if he really had. Katarina started undoing the buttons of his shirt, and Nick let his hand cup her breast, deciding he really didn't care as long as she was his.

The next afternoon, after the Russians had left Nick indicated that he needed to talk to Jarrod. They went into the library, and Nick made sure the door was tightly shut. Jarrod looked expectantly at Nick, wondering if it was about yesterday. He was ready for the next tirade that his middle brother was sure to let loose.

"Jarrod, I understand that you have some papers that MacLaren left, for me to sign." Nick stated in a matter of fact voice, leading Jarrod to give him a curious look. After the outburst yesterday, he was not prepared for this.

"Oh, so today you are all calm and prepared to sign everything, after insulting the lawyer who represents your wife's grandfather?" Jarrod really felt that what Nick had done was uncalled, even if it was typical Nick behavior. He saw Nick looked worried about the comment regarding Catherine's grandfather.

"Don't worry; I smoothed it over with Robert. At least the duke will know that you are not a fortune hunter." Jarrod gave a sardonic laugh as he said it though. Nick was probably the only man in America who, having married an heiress wasn't happy about it.

"Katarina and I talked about it, and we came to an agreement about the money." Nick informed Jarrod, smiling as he thought about last night, and how sexy she'd been in the pink silk underwear. Jarrod saw the satisfied smile his brother had on his face and wanted to laugh. Nick might run the ranch, but it was obvious that Catherine ran Nick. Not for the first time Jarrod was very envious of his brother, and wished he was wrapped around someone's finger like Nick was. It had been a long time since he'd had a smile like what his brother had.


	24. Chapter 24

_**I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!**_

_**The Tea Party – Part One**_

Victoria surveyed the parlor, set up for the 'tea party', and hoped it would go all right. She had misgivings at the back of her mind about going along with the whole thing. Audra had originally come up with the idea of doing something, to break the ice with Dorothea Alderson. She had seen that her brother liked Susannah, but her parents kept her on a tight rein.

Audra had decided that if Susannah's mother felt comfortable with the Barkley's it would help the relationship with Heath. On paper it was a good idea, Victoria conceded, but she wasn't sure she wanted to facilitate a relationship between Heath and the Alderson girl. When she had discovered that Heath was interested in the young woman Victoria had started paying her closer attention.

Susannah was pretty in a simple way, with brown hair, hazel eyes, and pale skin with a dusting of freckles across her nose. She had a nice figure, and a soft, gentle way about her Victoria had noticed. Her teaching abilities were very good too, from the talk she'd heard at the school board meeting. Watching the girl at church, or how she interacted with people was not reassuring though. She came across as shy, and almost frightened.

Even watching her with Heath didn't encourage Victoria, as Heath seemed much more interested in Susannah than she was in him. The older woman wondered if Heath was feeling lonely because of Catherine and Nick. Victoria had seen, on more than one occasion, how one marriage led to several more among the couple's family and friends. She was concerned that Heath might be settling for Susannah, because she was around and available.

However, Victoria knew that she'd been wrong about Catherine, so she decided to try to get to know Susannah a little better. Under the pretext of taking school supplies to the school, for the needy children, she went to visit the young woman. She arrived as class was ending, and saw that Susannah was very good with the little children. Victoria also heard a passion and excitement in the girl's voice that she'd never heard before.

Once the kids were gone, Victoria took the supplies up to Susannah, who was very grateful and said so. In retrospect, that was the highlight of their conversation, because the teacher turned very shy when Victoria tried to talk about anything but school. The older woman came away with the impression that Susannah would have agreed with anything she said, about anything, not having her own opinions. She also thought it interesting that the girl did not seem to care about making a good impression on Heath's mother.

Victoria thought back to when she'd decided to get to know Catherine better, and how that talk had gone. She admitted to herself though that by then the Russian girl had been living under her roof for almost two months. They were both more familiar with each other, than she and Susannah were. It was that thought that made her agree to Audra's idea for the tea party. Her thoughts were broken as her daughter came into the room.

"Catherine just arrived back from the blending house, so it will take her a couple of minutes to change." Audra informed her mother as she walked into the room. She had mint green dress with a print of pink flowers, which was ornamented with little pink satin flowers. It was new, and had a bustle, like all of Catherine's dresses. She had taken one of her sister-in-law's dresses to the seamstress, who had copied the construction.

"You look very nice Audra! I'm glad that Catherine made it back in time; I know that she said she had a lot of catching up to do." Victoria replied. Nick and Catherine had been back for five days now, and the house had never been happier. Heath had been having lots of fun teasing Nick at how he was at the barn by 5:20am, instead of 4:45am. Nick just roared with laughter, slapping Heath on the back in response.

Heath had teased Nick about other things too, being careful to make sure that Catherine and/or Audra were not around. Victoria had noticed that Jarrod would sometimes join in the joshing, but more often she would catch him looking at Nick and Catherine with a slight wistfulness. She was sure that Jarrod, having once enjoyed a close, loving relationship, was feeling the loss even heavier than usual on his heart. Victoria wondered now if his going back to San Francisco early was due to a legal matter, or his sadness about Beth. Thinking that, she sighed as she realized that she'd gone from being concerned about Nick, to being worried about her other sons.

"Mother, thank you for agreeing to do this! Heath was really excited when I told him about our tea party." Audra's comments broke Victoria's chain of thought, and she was glad for the distraction. At the back of her mind she wondered if all three of her sons, well and her daughter, could all be happy with their lives at the same time.

"Audra, I warn you, if Dorothea's conversation consists of nothing else but the Methodist church the tea will switch to 'sherry' halfway through!" Victoria declared, thinking of the few times she'd conversed with the woman. The dean's wife didn't seem to like anything in California, comparing it to New Hampshire all the time. The woman was also religious to almost a zealous point of view, which Victoria found tiresome.

If she could have heard the conversation the elder Mrs. Alderson was having with her daughter, Victoria would have broken out the sherry right away. They were in the carriage, driving over to the Barkley's house. She was not sure why they had been invited, and had planned on turning the invitation down. Dorothea was very high minded, being the daughter, and granddaughter of Methodist ministers. She frowned on too much social life, and believed in plain clothing and bible reading. However, her husband had insisted that they needed to go, because of the Barkley's position in the valley.

"Susannah, please remember that you are only to speak to if spoken to, and keep your replies short and simple. No one is interested in anything you have to say, do you understand?" Dorothea addressed her daughter in a harsh voice, looking over at her. The woman's mouth tightened into a thin line, wishing that Susannah had not been invited along. In her opinion the girl would be better served to have stayed home and done chores.

"Yes, Mama." Susannah nodded her head, as the cold knot of fear formed in her stomach when she saw how her mother was looking at her. If it wasn't Heath's family that had asked her, she would have pleaded a headache to stay home. She was looking forward to seeing where he lived, along with the chance to talk to his mother and sister. Susannah felt like she'd made a bad impression on his mother the day she'd come to the school. However, she'd been so flustered at the visit that her brain had shut down completely. Sometimes she wondered what it would be like not to be so scared all the time.

"You are not to get any ideas about fancy living, or making yourself out to be better than you are. The Lord does not love proud women, but those that are self-effacing and serve others." Dorothea lectured her daughter on one of her favorite topics. Susannah nodded her head, but privately thought that in no way was her mother self-effacing.

Luckily they turned into the gate, and saw the large white pillared house, which broke off her mother's discourse. Susannah was sure that she'd never seen anything so lovely in her whole life, like Heath's house. The town in New Hampshire where they were from had had some large houses, but they were brick, heavy and plain. This house, with its white paint and large windows looked warm and welcoming.

They pulled up to the front, and a Latin looking man, dressed in leather pants and a cowboy hat came out to greet the carriage. He opened the door, and unfolded the steps for the ladies to exit the buggy. Susannah guessed that he must be one of the Mexican ranch hands that were so prevalent in the valley.

That had been one of the biggest shocks for her to get used to, after living in New England. She had occasionally seen a Negro, but everyone else was white like her. Out here though, in addition to the Mexicans, there were Chinese, as well as other nationalities too. Not only was she expected to interact with them, but she taught some of their children in the public school. She was still adjusting to the different races, but liked the fact that children were children, no matter what.

Susannah saw Dorothea sniff disapprovingly, as the ranch hand held the carriage door open. Her heart sank, fearing her mother was going to be disagreeable during the whole visit. Just as they walked up to the front door, it was opened by a Negro wearing a black day suit. She guessed that this was a butler, and was impressed with the style that Heath lived in.

She was surprised by it all, but knew that she should not have been. Ever since she'd arrived in the valley the Barkley's had been the main subject of conversation. Their lives were discussed in great detail, as well as their wealth and the amount of land they owned. Susannah had found it hard to reconcile all that to Heath though. He dressed in a very ordinary manner, and never acted like a rich land owner.

Dorothea went into the house first, followed by Susannah, who was taken aback at how large the entrance hall was. She also felt rather overwhelmed by all the gold brocade, and the sweeping staircase she saw. Susannah thought it reminded her of one of those old plantation houses in the south, that she'd read about. Looking at the Negro butler she thought of the book 'Uncle Tom's Cabin', and hoped the Barkley's were not like the Shelby's in the book.

"Dorothea, Susannah, welcome to our house! Thank so you much for coming!" Victoria Barkley, looking regal in a dark blue taffeta dress smiled at them with welcome. Susannah looked at the ground, while her mother took the other woman's hand. She noticed that Heath's sister Audra was standing next to her mother, looking pretty in a pink and green flowered dress. Her blonde hair was slightly paler than Heath's, but they had the same blue eyes. Susannah felt less intimidated by Audra, because of her age and enthusiastic nature.

Susannah wished she could wear a pretty dress like Audra was wearing, instead of the pale pink muslin with its limp cream colored frill around the neck. Her mother always said that a woman needed to be clean and decently covered, but nothing else. She looked over at the woman now, dressed in puce colored bombazine, and thought she looked like she was dressed for a funeral.

Victoria had just turned to head into the front parlor when a young woman descended down the staircase. Susannah turned to look at her, and decided that she was the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen in her life. She had creamy skin with a slight flush to the cheeks and soft looking pink lips, all of which highlighted dark blue eyes with black eyelashes and finely arched brows. The thick honey colored hair was elaborately put up, with braids woven among the tucked under pieces.

The young woman had perfectly chiseled features, and lovely posture that complimented her height. If it wasn't enough that she was beautiful, the clothes she was wearing were incredible. The white silk gown had a delicate print on it in black, and was ornamented with black velvet ribbon. The skirt was pulled back into a many ruffled cascade over the bustle, each ruffled edged with the same black velvet. Her jewelry was also amazing, a tripled looped necklace of large pearls, along with earrings of diamond clusters with pearl drops. The whole ensemble only served to highlight her hair and eyes.

Susannah was sure that this must be Heath's sister-in-law, the aristocratic Russian princess everyone had talked about. She was trying to reconcile what he'd told her about the woman standing in front of her. Heath had said how kind his sister-in-law was, and how she'd talked him into attending church. She took it to mean the woman must be religious, but to Susannah the young woman did not look like her mother's definition of religious.

"Catherine, we were waiting for you! Let me introduce you to our guests." Victoria beamed with pleasure when she saw her daughter-in-law, and proceeded to do the introductions. Susannah could barely saw hello, being too dazzled by how stunning Catherine was. She had noticed how warmly Heath's mother had greeted her, and for some reason it bothered her. At the back of her mind she wondered what it would be like to be greeted with love and welcome.

It was soon apparent that Catherine was as gracious as Victoria. Susannah had no problems seeing the resemblance between the two women. She liked the lilting accent that the Russian woman had too. Catherine made it a point to ask her questions about teaching, and the teacher's college she'd gone to. However, her mother answered most of them before Susannah could, and she knew from the other woman's puckered brow that she wondered why that was.

Dorothea saw to it that the conversation revolved around religious matters, and happenings in the valley, all of which she disapproved of. She took special exception to the ladies bible study group that the Pastor's wife ran, thinking it too liberal for her taste. Once she finished that topic she moved on to questioning Catherine about her religion, and how she could attend a protestant church.

Victoria was more than ready for a glass of sherry, and she was sure that Catherine was too. She had noticed that her daughter-in-law and Audra had made a special effort to try to talk to Susannah, which she admired. However, between the girls' mother, and her innate shyness the conversations had gone nowhere. She was wondering how much longer Dorothea was going to stay when a welcome diversion happened.


	25. Chapter 25

_**Author's Note: The pamphlet that is mentioned here does exist, and can be found by googling 'Sex for Brides Circa 1894'. It was written by Ruth Smythers, the wife of a Methodist minister, as a guide for young ladies. This chapter also has a mature scene, with Nick and Catherine, at the end. As I have done before, the version here is the explicit one.**_

_**The Tea Party – Part Two**_

The front door was thrown open as Nick came striding into the front hall, his spurs jangling as he took his hat off, saying loudly "Ka..ta..rina!" Victoria had noticed that Nick happy was even louder than Nick unhappy. That thought was broken by how Susannah almost jumped in fright, as her full tea cup fell to the ground. The tea spilled all over her skirt and on the rug, as Dorothea gave her daughter a hateful glare.

"Mother, Audra, good to see you! Where is" Nick stopped when he saw Katarina sitting in the chair off to the side, beaming at him with pleasure. Oblivious to anyone else he strode over to her, and bending down put his arms around her as he started kissing her deeply. He had been out on the range all day, and hadn't seen her since early that morning.

Katarina was thrilled to see him, and enjoyed for a bit the way he was kissing her, before she remembered that they had company. Regretfully she broke off the kiss, and saw his puzzled look before he became aware of the other people in the room. Nick kept one of his arms around her though, liking to have her close to him.

Victoria had happened to be watching Dorothea as Nick was kissing Catherine and had been put off by the look of disgust and distaste the woman had on her face. The matriarch of the Barkley family knew Nick's display of affection for his wife was very blatant, but her son was passionate about everything he did. There was also the fact that this was Nick's house, and he had the right to do what he wanted in it. In Victoria's mind if it didn't bother Catherine than it wasn't a concern.

It took everything Victoria had to put a bland face on, and not let Dorothea know what she thought of her. Instead, she made the introductions and watched as Nick put his best charming smile on for the guests. Victoria saw that it cut no ice with Dorothea, while Susannah was looking at Nick like he was some frightful apparition.

Susannah had almost jumped out of her skin when the tall, dark cowboy had come into the room, talking loudly. It had caused her to drop her tea cup, which she knew had angered her mother, but she didn't care. The man was like a wild black stallion on a rampage, as he took over the room. She guessed this must be Heath's brother, but found it hard to reconcile that the two men were related.

She also found it incongruous that the tall cowboy in his ranch clothes was married to the elaborately dressed woman. Susannah though, looking at the couple from under her eyelashes for the second time decided she could see them together. The man was larger than life, and used to commanding any situation he encountered. Catherine was self-possessed, a princess, and the kind of woman a man like the tall cowboy would respect and want.

Heath had told her all about his brother, but somehow the reality was not meshing with the picture in her mind. Susannah could not even look the man in the eye as he said hello to her, preferring to keep her eyes downcast. There was something almost frightening about him, both his size and his loudness that set her nerves on edge.

"It is my pleasure to meet you both! A belated welcome to Stockton; I hope you like it!" Nick boomed, as one of his big grins flashed on his face. The grin turned to a tender smile when he looked down on his wife as he asked "Katarina, I hate to interrupt you, but could you help me with some paperwork, in the study?"

Katarina smiled at Nick gratefully, glad for the chance to get away from the Alderson's. She rose up, her ruffled silk bustle making a slight swishing sound as she did so. "Dorothea, Susannah, I'm sorry I can't stay; it has been illuminating to have tea with you." Katarina wanted to laugh, thinking how she sounded like her grandmother giving a back handed compliment. The women smiled as she excused herself, to follow Nick into the study.

Victoria and Audra both watched Catherine's retreating back with envious stares, before they turned their attention back to their guests. They saw the disapproval very apparent on Dorothea's face, but noticed that Susannah seemed to be less nervous than she'd been when Nick had been in the room.

Audra sent her mother a look of apology, as Dorothea, having exhausted the subject of religion moved on to her next soap box. She was not pleased with the number of saloons in town, and how easy it was to get a drink. The woman was vexed because she had already tried talking to the mayor and to Reverent Thompson about shutting them down.

Trying to look interested, Victoria privately wanted to laugh at Dorothea's naiveté in talking to the mayor. She obviously did not know that he had a controlling interested in several of the saloons, including the most popular one down by the riverfront. Victoria had never had any patience for religious zealots, or teetotalers, and this woman was both.

It was another ten minutes before Dorothea rose to leaving, saying that she and Susannah had to get home. They all said their good byes, and the Barkley women watched as the mother and daughter walked out the front door. Audra thought Silas took extra pleasure in shutting it behind them, which made her stifle a giggle.

"Audra, now I'm breaking out the sherry! Honestly, why I agreed to that is beyond me!" Victoria announced, as she walked over to the drinks tray. She looked at her daughter, to see if she wanted a glass; Audra nodded her head rapidly.

"Mother, I had no idea Mrs. Alderson was like that! Poor Susannah, no wonder she never says anything; her mother won't let her." Audra declared, as she took the glass her mother offered her.

"Quite frankly I have no interest in furthering a relationship between Heath and Susannah. I don't think I'd want Heath in the middle of that family mess!" Victoria informed her daughter, glad that the relationship had not gone that far. She wasn't concerned about saying anything to Heath though, being pretty sure that Dorothea would nip it in the bud quickly.

As the carriage carrying the Alderson's pulled away, Dorothea was finally able to let loose with her wrath. "What a vulgar display that foreign woman put on! I can't believe Victoria Barkley would tolerate that behavior in her own house!" Her voice quivered with rage as she thought of her and Susannah having to witness anything like that.

"I'm tempted to send her a copy of Mrs. Smythers' letter that was presented at the last minister's conference. Obviously that girl has been badly brought up, and doesn't understand the pitfalls of encouraging a husband." Dorothea stated vehemently, as she turned to look at her daughter.

"I hope you remember what it says; on the off chance some man is desperate enough to marry you. You need to use what you saw today as a reminder of what is not allowed!" Her mother lectured her, while Susannah tuned her out. Heath's brother had seemed like a wild animal to her, but she had noticed how tender he was when talking to his wife. She wondered what Heath thought of that kind of behavior, and if it was what he wanted from his wife.

The mention of Heath's name, by her mother, broke the train of thought "I have heard that Heath was supposed to be the one to marry her." Dorothea spewed in an almost delighted voice. Susannah looked at her mother, who saw her puzzlement and shock.

"Yes, your admirer almost married that foreign harlot, from what I've heard. He was supposed to go to Alaska, but hurt his leg at the last minute, so his brother went instead. It was an arranged marriage, for the Barkley's to get even more land than they already own." The older woman replied to her daughter's unasked question.

Dorothea took pleasure in going on "I have seen Heath around you, and while your father is fine with it, I am not! The next time he is trying to get your attention I suggest you remember that he almost married that woman. Knowing how men are, he is probably sorry it didn't happen and is willing to settle for you."

Susannah was surprised at what her mother had just told her, about Heath and Catherine. She thought back to how he'd talked both about his brother and the man's wife. It was apparent that he loved his brother and that they were close to each other. Susannah's heart fell as she remembered how Heath had spoken of his sister-in-law, with warmth and admiration. She also thought of her mother's last statement, that Heath was just settling for her, because he'd missed out on the woman his brother was married too.

"Yes, Mama I will remember that." Susannah responded in a flat tone, feeling very sad as she did so. It was like her dream of Heath had been burst like a bubble. The rest of the drive home was silent, as Susannah held back her tears.

If Dorothea had known what was going on in the study of the Barkley's house she would have collapsed with apoplexy. While Victoria and Audra had been dealing with the Alderson's in the front parlor, Nick had led Katarina into the study. He took pleasure in closing the door, and turning the elaborate brass lock above the handle.

She turned to face him, as he fastened the lock on the door, while he gave her a bold devouring glance. His eyes saw how the dress fit over her bosom, before descending to her tiny waist and lush hips. The ruffled bustle drew attention to her attributes, and Nick enjoyed what he was seeing. He liked how the black and white ensemble looked so cool and proper, while Katarina was anything but that.

"Nicholas, what paperwork do you need my help with?" Katarina asked in her lilting accent, as she watched her husband. His back was to her, as she heard the click of the lock, before he turned to look at her as his eyes blazed passion.

Before she even put it all together in her mind, he had her pressed against the mahogany paneling of the study. His body was hard against hers, while his scent spicy, masculine, and smelling of horses and sunshine enveloped her. Katarina felt every inch of him, and moved closer to him without even thinking about it.

"Sugar, there is no paperwork I need help with. You, on the other hand needed to be rescued from that female prison guard and the pitiful mouse." Nick's face was barely inches away from hers, as he made his pronouncement in very soft tones. "Just because my mother and sister feel the need to extend hospitability to anyone doesn't mean you need to."

Katarina was experiencing that shut down that Nicholas caused in her body and brain, and part of her wanted nothing more than to let him do exactly what he had already planned out. One very tiny part of her though felt the need to protest at least a little bit.

"Your mother invited them, and her husband is headmaster at the boy's academy." Katarina remembered hearing about the women, and then remembered something else to, but before she could articulate the next sentence her husband started moving his hands up from her waist.

"Darling, you have a corset on, don't you?" Nick had moved his lips to her ear, asking his redundant question before he started laying kisses on the tender spot of her neck just in back of her ear. He grinned as he felt her sigh and melt against him.

"Honestly Nicholas, of course I have a corset on! I am not going to step out of our room without one!" Katarina moved her neck slightly, enjoying what he was doing with his lips and tongue. Ever since they'd been back they had made love at all hours, but always in their room. It came to her that he had her in the study, behind a locked door.

"That presents a problem, because I want to make love to you, right now, right here." Nick was trying to move lower on her neck, but the pearl necklace was preventing him. The two lower loops hung low, but the first loop rested just above the collar of her dress. He reached his hands up and found the clasp, a snowflake design studded with diamonds, which he undid with hardly a pause. It fell to the ground, as he slowly and leisurely licked and nipped at her neck.

She became aware that his hands had moved down her body, from her neck, to her waist, and then to her thighs. At the same time he buried his head in her chest, feeling the swell of her bosom trying to rise above the corset that was holding it captive. Nick was not very experienced for nothing, and moved his hand to where he was sure the corset ended. His skilled fingers found the edge of the offending garment, as they worked their way under the soft silk fabric.

"Sugar, on the count of three take a deep breath for me, please?" Nick had raised his head to look at her, as the green flecks in his hazel eyes blazed with passion and intensity. He looked at her, and saw how unfocused her dark blue eyes were, and smiled as he realized how aroused she already was.

"I'll count, ok? One..two..three!" Nick's voice was rough but she managed to follow his instructions and on the count of three she took a deep breath. Katarina was startled to find that her breasts had been released from the tight fitting boned garment. He moved his head, and suddenly he was sucking on her hardened nipples through the silk. She moaned loudly, arching her body against his, suddenly not caring about anything else but him.

Nick's hands were moving over her thighs, as he lifted up her skirt and petticoat, before he moved one of his hands to the opening her bloomers allowed. He slowly stroked the tender skin, each time moving just a little closer to her femaleness. Katarina spread her legs even more, as the heat and wetness dripped down her.

"God, you are a hot little minx!" Nick gasped, as he removed his mouth from one of her puckered nipples that strained against the silk. He loved how she always welcomed him, and his attentions, as she enjoyed his maleness.

"You are the cause of it, you know!" Katarina told him in a satisfied tone, as she moved against his throbbing shaft. Nick's mouth found hers, as his tongue plunged deeply into her mouth, tasting the tang of lemon from the tea she'd been drinking. His fingers reached up to her crevices, and then stroked and pushed into her.

At that point Katarina let loose an exclamation of extreme pleasure, while her hands reached down to Nick's crotch. They then moved up to loosen his belt buckle, before the moved to the buttons of his fly. Her fingers brushed against his shaft, straining against the fastening of his pants.

"Sugar, are you as eager for me, as I am for you?" Nick questioned as she undid the last button and slid her warm fingers around his throbbing erection. They circled it, and then slowly moved up and down as they tightened and released in a rhythmic motion. It came to him that he'd gone from being the seducer to the seduced.

"Nicholas I am." Katarina purred as Nick lifted her skirt enough for him to have access to the warm core that was splayed waiting for his entrance. Her words, and the way she used them aroused him, and when she switched to French, to tell him what she wanted him to do, pushed him even further.

He thrust into her with determined force, and then moved her hips to a slightly different angle as he pushed her further into the hard wood paneling. Nick was suddenly all animal intensity, as he growled while nipping at her soft exposed neck. He felt her clenching around his shaft, and bit the soft piece of her neck he had in his mouth, before he sucked hard, trying to stifle his aroused growl.

Katarina knew that he wanted hard fast sex, and she knew how to give it to him. She moved her hands down to his buttocks, and then pushed them tighter against her, while telling him in Russian to move faster and deeper. Nick had always had a flare for languages, and he had learned Russian quickly, because that is what Katarina spoke when she was deeply aroused.

She buried her head against his chest, biting her lip to stifle the loud cry she wanted to make as the wave of pleasure crested in her body. Nick was right behind her, as his body shuddered against hers, before they fell to the ground, clutching each other tightly.

Their clothes were disheveled, and both were breathing very hard, as well as being flushed. Nick looked at her, thinking how dazzling she always looked after they'd made love. "God, I love you so much!" His voice said the words with reverence, as he pulled her tighter against him. Her skirt billowed around them, the silk slightly rustling as they snuggled.

"Nicholas, I love you too!" Katarina replied, as she caught her breath while he held her. "I also liked how you rescued me from that ghastly tea party." She told him with a giggle, thinking how much nicer it was to be with Nicholas than with the Alderson's.

Nick nodded his head as he said "Was it my mother or my sister who invited that ghastly pair?" He asked, as Katarina sat up, still giggling. She regarded Nick, with his pants undone and hair all messy with a fond smile. However, as she thought about his question, she remembered what she'd wanted to tell him earlier.

"Actually, it was your sister, and she wanted to help Heath!" Katarina declared, and then explained the whole thing to him.

"Good lord, you mean Heath is interested in that scared filly? Sugar, I know he likes to rescue people, but I think he should walk away from that one. Did you see how she was looking at me? And that mother? He'd never get any peace with that woman." Nick was flabbergasted at what he'd just learned, and it showed on his face.

"I would suggest saying something to him, but it probably wouldn't do any good. It is a good bet though that Dorothea won't let anything happen. She only approves of Methodists!" Katarina thought about the woman's one subject of conversation.

"Well then for once I say thank goodness for Methodists, because Heath is definitely not one!" Nick looked at Katarina, who was trying to adjust the top part of her dress, and then he noticed her neck. On the left side was a rather large red spot, and it didn't take him long to recollect when it had happened.

"Darling, you are going to need to wear something around your neck tonight. I'm afraid I got rather carried away." Nick confessed, giving her a remorseful look as he did so. Katarina had been looking for her necklace, which she found under his outstretched legs. She picked it up, and went to put it back on, as he reached over to do the diamond clasp.

"Nicholas, that is one of the many things I love about you, is your exuberance for everything that you do! Why don't we go upstairs and you can help me pick out what I should wear?" Katarina could have cared less about her neck, having enjoyed being with him too much. They were both physically passionate people, and she'd dealt with his love bites before.

He threw his head back and laughed loudly, thinking how wonderful it was that she was his wife. They straightened each other's clothes before they opened the door, trying to act calm and normal. Luckily there was no one around as they made their way upstairs, because she'd not been able to get her corset back to where it had been. Katarina wasn't concerned though because she knew that Nick would have all of her clothes off once they were in their bedroom.


	26. Chapter 26

_**A Request With Dramatic Appeal**_

Jarrod had been in San Francisco for over two weeks, having left Stockton three days after Nick and Catherine had returned from the cabin. Victoria was partially right in her speculation that he'd gone back to the bay earlier than planned on, because of them. It wasn't that he wasn't happy for Nick, knowing that Catherine was perfect for his brother. She understood him, and his attachment to his land better than anyone else ever would.

That understanding was a big part of Jarrod's issue in seeing the couple together, and the connection they had to each other. Watching them brought up all the memories he had of Beth and their short time together. On one hand they had loved each other deeply, and Jarrod knew that was true. However, they'd only had a short time together, and she had only seen one facet of his life; Stockton.

He had started to wonder how she would have coped with San Francisco and his life there. She'd been a teacher on her way to a new job when they'd met on the train. From what Beth had told him, Jarrod had picked up that she was from a small manufacturing town in Pennsylvania. He had no problems believing that she would have been happy in Stockton.

San Francisco though was where the greater part of Jarrod's life occurred; his main law practice was there. Also, the location gave him the best vantage point to watch over the business interests of his family. It was an international port town, and also a hub for transportation anywhere else in the state. Jarrod liked the hustle and bustle of city life, and the opportunities for social encounters with other lawyers and politicians.

On several different occasions he had been approached about running for office, but so far had turned them down. It wasn't that he would never consider it, but Jarrod didn't feel he was quite ready yet. Part of the issue was that he would really need a wife, but only recently had he even been able to think of looking for one. Catherine, Jarrod knew, was the catalyst that had finally helped him move on from Beth.

Unfortunately, she had also forced to Jarrod to consider what his relationship with Beth would have been, had she lived. He was having problems seeing her enjoying the city life, or being a politician's wife either. She was loving, and down to earth, but not very sophisticated. Jarrod, after one long sleepless night, realized that as much as they had loved each other, Beth wasn't his soul mate. The admission had torn at him, and felt disloyal to her memory.

San Francisco was an easier place to be, because he'd never shared it with her, and he didn't have his brother's relationship hitting him in the face. Jarrod had been busy the last two weeks, preparing for an upcoming court case. He had also fallen back into the habit of visiting his two clubs, and dining out several times a week.

His apartment had been renovated, but he had just heard about some townhomes being built on Telegraph Hill. Jarrod had been offered one, before they went on sale to the general public, and he had decided to buy it. It would be nice, he thought, to have somewhere to entertain and had heard that one of Crocker's sons would also be buying a house there. The neighborhood was going to draw the adult children of the earlier settlers, and Jarrod knew it would be an appropriate address for a lawyer of his statue.

Jarrod was sitting in his office, drinking his morning coffee as he thought about the house. His thoughts were interrupted by his law clerk knocking on the door. He instructed the man to come in, and was surprised to see Lew followed by a Negro wearing a black suit like what a butler would wear.

"Jarrod, this is Piers and he has a note for you from his employer." Lew, who had come with him from Stockton, explained as he stepped back. Jarrod nodded his head for the grey haired black man to come forward.

"Mr. Barkley, my employer has requested that I deliver this to you personally, and await a reply." The man explained with a southern accent, passing the note to Jarrod, who read it with interest.

_Dear Mr. Barkley,_

_A mutual friend, Peter Talbot, suggested I contact you about a matter I need help with. He says you are an upright man, with a strong sense of honor. I would be grateful if you could spare some of your time to meet with me._

_S. Burns_

Jarrod's attention was caught right away when he saw Peter Talbot's name. The man had been a career army officer, having graduated from West Point. Jarrod had served with him in Washington D.C. during the civil war. He had admired Peter's nuanced understanding of the war, and what would be needed to bring the union back together. After the war ended Talbot had been in New Orleans, before retiring to his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. Jarrod was very curious as to what Peter had been up to, and who the mutual friend was.

"Piers let me give you a note to take to Mr. Burns. I will be glad to meet with him later this afternoon if it works." Jarrod smiled pleasantly at the servant, as he took some paper out to write a quick note. He was too busy writing to observe the weird look the servant was giving him. Finishing the note, he put it in an envelope and handed it to the Negro, who excused himself. Jarrod spent the rest of the morning mulling over the meeting he would have later.

It was early that afternoon, and Jarrod was eagerly waiting for S. Burns to show up. He hoped that the matter didn't concern bad news about Peter. Jarrod's thoughts were halted by the knock on his door, which he answered 'come in' to. Lew opened the door and Jarrod was surprised to see a woman wearing a long flowing black cloak, with a fur trimmed hood that hid her face.

The garment wasn't surprising, because the last week had been cold and rainy in the city. The surprise was that S. Burns was a woman, and not a man! Jarrod indicated for Lew to leave closing the door behind him. The woman waited until the door was shut before she lifted back her hood, to give Jarrod an even bigger surprise.

He had never met the woman in person, but had seen pictures of her, none of which did her justice. In person she was more beautiful than he'd realized. The raven black hair, dark flashing eyes, lily white skin, and ruby red lips though were just as the pictures had shown. What hadn't been shown was the intelligence, or the kindness that her eyes held, as well as how genuine her smile was.

Samantha St. Claire was the leading actress of the city's widely acclaimed theater scene. She could not only act, but also sing with almost an operatic quality to it. Her portrayal of Helen of Troy was said to be matchless, and Jarrod had heard that her current role, of Lady Macbeth was equally superb. He looked at her again, and noticed how petite the actress was, before he decided he needed to gather his wits about him.

"Miss Burns, I'm Jarrod Barkley. What can I do for you?" Jarrod summoned his best courtroom voice, while trying not to gawk. He was sure that she received quite enough of that in her everyday life.

"Actually, it is Mrs. Burns, my married name. St. Claire is my maiden name, as well as my stage name Mr. Barkley." The woman's voice was smooth and well modulated, and Jarrod was sure that she'd received professional voice coaching. He watched as she removed her cloak to reveal a jacket and skirt of smooth burgundy wool, decorated with black cording.

"Well then Mrs. Burns, may I offer you some coffee or tea?" Jarrod inquired, wanting her to be comfortable before they settled down to business. He knew that people had many different reasons for consulting an attorney and a well known actress would have more than most people. Her reference of her marriage intrigued him, because from what gossip he'd heard, a husband had never been mentioned.

She accepted coffee, and they made small talk while his clerk brought in a tray, along with a plate of cookies. Jarrod was not surprised to learn that she was well versed in city matters, and he appreciated her opinion on the port labor issue. Once his clerk left the lady turned to the matter she had come about.

"Mr. Barkley, Peter speaks very highly of you, and says that I can trust you. I hope that is true?" Samantha studied Jarrod with an almost impersonal appraisal as she made her observation. Jarrod discerned that she was a shrewd woman who could read people very well.

"First off, if we are going to do business together I would like you to call me Jarrod. Regarding Peter, he and I served together in Washington D.C. during the war. He is a man I trust and admire, and I would have to say that I am flattered that he recommended me to you." Jarrod meant what he said, wanting to earn this woman's trust.

"I think until you have agreed to help me, I will call you Mr. Barkley. It is very possible that once you know the whole story you will wish to wash your hands of the affair. I will completely understand and not hold it against you." Samantha stated her terms like a businesswoman, and Jarrod realized that she spoke the truth.

"Mrs. Burns, why don't you explain everything to me and we can go from there. Whatever you tell me is protected by the lawyer/client privilege, which I can't breach without losing my license. There is also the fact that I am a man of the world, and nothing you can say will shock me." Jarrod understood that a woman like her would need the reassurance that her secrets would not be sold to the tabloids.

Samantha studied the man sitting behind the desk, and liked what she saw. He was well dressed in a tasteful way, and his solid build was offset by his sparkling blue eyes. Peter had told her all about the man, but meeting someone in person was always a different experience. She also liked how he had not been awed by who she was.

"Mr. Bark..Jarrod, I'm from New Orleans originally, having only been in San Francisco the last five years. The St. Claire's were an old theater family, who first settled there in the late 1700's. My father was a world renowned actor, and my mother was a French opera star that my father met and married when he was performing in Europe. In other words, the theater is in my blood." Samantha started her story, wanting the lawyer to know the background.

Jarrod was intrigued with what she had just told him, and could see the French influences of her mother in the way she carried herself and dressed. He also knew that New Orleans had been settled by the French, whose influence was still strong.

"I was sixteen when war was declared, and by the time it ended I was twenty with a baby to care for. My husband, Charles Burns, had been a violin player in the New Orleans symphony; he was a peaceful man. However, he loved his city and was willing to fight to protect it Jarrod. He perished in the siege at Vicksburg." Samantha's voice held a hint of sadness as she talked about her husband.

As he thought of the siege, Jarrod sighed and looked at her with sympathy. The siege had lasted for over forty days, and by the end the few survivors were eating rats. He had read some of the accounts of the union officers who had liberated the city, and the stories had made him sick.

"Mrs. Burns, I am sorry that you had to lose your husband like that." Jarrod hoped that she had not heard, or read, the stories he had.

"Please call me Samantha, and thank you. I saw some of the northern newspapers later, about how the wicked slave owners had received what the deserved. Jarrod, we did own slaves; I'm not going to pretend differently. I never thought about it for the longest time, because it was what I'd grown up with. Our slaves were treated well, and Piers and his wife came with me out west. As my employees." She smiled at him, and Jarrod suddenly wanted to see her smile all the time.

"Jarrod, I was twenty, a widow, with a baby to take care. I didn't have the luxury of sitting on my principles, I needed to work. I took the oath of allegiance, and returned to the theater. By then New Orleans was occupied by union troops, who liked to see plays. I became a very well known actress." Samantha glanced away as she divulged what she'd done for her child.

Jarrod studied her profile, once again admiring how beautiful she was. He was also impressed with her actions, in handling what was a difficult, painful situation. Samantha had known what was important, and had taken care of her child. Those actions told him that she was a strong woman, and Jarrod was reminded of his mother. They did what needed to be done with no fuss or complaining.

"Since I was a well known actress I had many admirers, Jarrod, including some very famous union officers." Samantha left it at that, but Jarrod had no problems figuring out who the men might be. He couldn't fault the men's taste, considering how beautiful she was.

"However, I turned them all down, until Peter came along." Samantha paused and watched Jarrod for his reaction. He made it a point to keep his face bland though, not really being surprised at what she was telling him. He had also learned that clients revealed more if the lawyer kept quiet.

"Peter was kind, and a gentleman in the way he treated me, Jarrod. I knew he was married, and understood what he was offering me. I became his mistress, and he protected me and my son. I didn't love him, but we fulfilled a need for each other." Samantha didn't apologize for what she'd done, and Jarrod admired her for that.

He was glad to hear that Peter had been good to her, and it said a lot that she was still in touch with the man. Jarrod didn't fault Peter for his actions, because he knew that Peter's marriage was sterile. His wife had been paralyzed after a bout with polio, but Peter had stayed with her and their children.

"Jarrod, as you can imagine once the union troops were withdrawn from New Orleans I was persona non grata because of my liaison with a union officer. Peter helped me relocate to San Francisco, and pays for my son, who is thirteen now, to attend boarding school in New England. We have stayed friends, but nothing more." Samantha imparted the information, and then added "Peter has been the only man I've had that type of a relationship with. I had no interest because I didn't like the position I was put in, and I wanted my son to be proud of me."

He reviewed all the gossip he'd heard about the actress, and knew what she was saying was true. Samantha had many admirers, but none of them had ever made it to relationship status. Jarrod himself knew that the Lt. Governor had wooed her with flowers and jewelry, which had been returned unopened. It touched him that she was concerned about her son, and his opinion of her.

"Samantha, I appreciate you taking me into your confidence about your affair. Peter is a good man, and if you were able to bring him some happiness I have no problems with your conduct." Jarrod stated truthfully. He found himself rather envious of his old friend, and then wondered what it would be like to have a relationship with a woman like Samantha.

Jarrod dismissed that thought as not a good idea to entertain, and returned to the matter at hand. "Samantha, what is the problem you and Peter think I could help with?" Jarrod was enjoying the woman's company, but knew that she'd sought him out for a reason.

"Someone is trying to blackmail me about the relationship I had with Peter. However, all they've done so far is sent letters, threatening to reveal the story. They have not made any demands from me, or Peter; I'm not even sure what they want." Samantha disclosed, giving him a 'can you believe it' look.

"I need to ask you some questions, as your lawyer Samantha. Is there any physical proof of the affair? Letters or notes?" Jarrod didn't like putting her on the spot like that, but if he was going to help her he needed to know. She had also been willing to tell him the truth about her relations with Peter, so he didn't think she would be insulted in what he was asking.

"No, Jarrod there isn't. We never exchanged love letters, and kept separate establishments. People in New Orleans were aware of it, but it was all word of mouth." Samantha's voice was cool as she made her statement. Opening her reticule, she produced three letters and passed them to him, commenting "These are what I have received from the 'blackmailer'."

He studied the letters and saw that it was block printing, on cheap white paper. The three notes basically said the same thing that the writer was aware that she'd had an improper affair with Col. Peter Talbot, and that it would be revealed. Jarrod found the whole thing perplexing and would have dismissed it as a cruel joke, but for the skull head that was drawn on each of the messages.

"Honestly, I have no idea who or why is doing this, Jarrod!" Samantha exclaimed, and he heard frustration in her voice.

"Samantha, let me keep these for now. I know a retired Pinkerton man that I will probably bring into the investigation. I will update you either tomorrow or the next day about what our next step should be." Jarrod gave her a reassuring smile, as he talked to her.

"Thank you, Jarrod. I need to get going anyway, I have a performance tonight." The woman stood up and started to put her cloak on. "Please let me know what I will owe you for your services. I will send you a retainer check when I get back to my house."

"I want to see if I can help you at all, before I take the case or your money." Jarrod in fact would have done the work for free, because of his friendship with Peter. He rather thought though that Samantha might take his offer the wrong way.

Another thought came to him "Samantha, you are playing Lady Macbeth, right?" Jarrod asked, and she nodded her head.

"If you haven't seen it you really should. Our version is quite good, and the musical score adds depth to the story. I would be glad to leave tickets for you and your wife to come; we only have tonight's performance left." Samantha became very animated as she talked about the production.

"Well then I will have to get there tonight I guess. However, you don't need to set a ticket aside for me, I can buy my own. And, I am not married either." Jarrod informed her, not wanting to take advantage of her generosity.

"Jarrod, it is the least I can do for helping me. I'll leave two tickets at the box office anyway, in case you want to bring a friend." Samantha replied, and they exchanged goodbyes.

He spent the rest of the afternoon bringing the Pinkerton man into the loop, and thinking about his strategy for the case. Jarrod thought the time moved slowly, but he knew that he was anxious to see the play tonight. Samantha had captivated him in a way that no woman had for a long time. It was playing with fire to think about her as anything but a client, but he couldn't help himself.

That evening he presented himself at the box office, and found that she had set tickets aside for him. Jarrod had considered bringing a friend along, but then decided he didn't want any distractions from watching the performance. He was very impressed with the seat she had for him, and knew he would be able to see the stage perfectly. He had also brought along a pair of opera glasses too.

By the end of the performance Jarrod couldn't have told anyone a thing about it, other than there was some music involved. He had spent the whole time looking at Samantha through the glasses, admiring her beauty. Jarrod had also taken note of what a good actress she was, and how she showed the depth of emotion and madness the character was composed of.

Jarrod considered going around the back, to see if he could talk to her after the performance. What stopped him was that he didn't want to come across as a 'stage door Johnny'. He remembered hearing that she never received admirers. It wouldn't be fair to use his status as her lawyer to get into to see her, either, he decided.

He went home and lay awake for a long time, thinking of Samantha and her situation. By the next morning he had come up with a possible approach to solve her problem. The drawback was that he was very attracted to her, and his plan for getting to the bottom of what was going on could backfire badly. However, he didn't have any other ideas, and decided this was the best one.

The note he sent to her said thank you for the ticket, and complimented her on her performance. He then asked if she could meet him tomorrow morning, to discuss the letters. Jarrod hoped, as he sealed the letter, that he would be able to walk the fine line he was setting up for himself. If he couldn't, at least his heart could get broken, and at worst he could be disbarred. The risk was worth it though, in his opinion, because it had been a long time since he'd been so attracted to a woman.


	27. Chapter 27

_**Author's Note: Samantha's dress in this scene is taken from one of the costumes in Downtown Abbey. I don't remember which episode (probably second season), but Elizabeth McGovern, playing the Countess of Grantham wore it. I have modified the design some, to reflect the fashion of the 1870's, as opposed to the 1910's.**_

_**Setting the Stage**_

Samantha St. Claire Burns entered Jarrod's office with anticipation at their meeting. Peter had told her about the man, and with a few discrete inquires she had learned a little more. She had liked what she had found out, but had seen that there was a lot she didn't know. Her knowledge base was hampered by the fact that she couldn't be too overt in what she was asking, and the fact that Jarrod Barkley was a very private person.

She had been pleased when he'd come to see the play, by himself. Samantha didn't understand why, but she'd been glad when he had made his comment about not having a wife. His note the next day had been very complimentary toward her, but it was not accompanied by flowers or trinkets. She was used to receiving letters of admiration that came with gifts, which she always returned. Samantha wasn't sure if Jarrod was being a careful lawyer, but she liked the fact that he had not done anything else.

Jarrod Barkley was extremely handsome, and she knew that she was attracted to him. It concerned her because she did not need that complication in her life. Her marriage had been short, her liaison with Peter had only been partially fulfilling, undertaken for survival, and nothing else. She had decided that at thirty-two years old she was too old for cupid's arrow. As the law clerk showed her into the office she stiffened her spine, thinking about her son and how he would want his mother to behave.

"Jarrod, thank you for your kind note! I am glad that you enjoyed the performance. You were lucky because the regular cast was doing all the parts." She was babbling, but there was something about those aquamarine blue eyes that set her heart and nerves on edge. He took her hand and kissed it, making her wish she wasn't wearing gloves.

She had on a cream wool skirt and jacket, all ornamented with black filigree cut outwork in velvet on the front, before it swept into a bustle of cream and black. Her hat was large, black chiffon with cream colored flowers. The black touches highlighted her dark hair and eyes perfectly. Jarrod took her hand to kiss it, and noticed the fine quality of the black leather gloves. Before he could stop himself he wondered if her skin was as soft as the leather his lips touched.

"All the critics were right, you are an acclaimed actress, and I truly enjoyed the performance." Jarrod stated smoothly, wanting to get his mind off of her skin. He asked her a couple of questions about the play, and they talked for a while, before moving on to the subject of the letters. He brought her update with what he'd done, which really wasn't much.

"Samantha, if we are going to get to the bottom of this, we need to 'flush' the blackmailer out of the bushes. Otherwise he could go on just sending you threatening notes, and keeping you on tenterhooks. It is possible that that is his game plan anyway; he likes the idea of you being scared." Jarrod explained to her, while privately hoping that his scenario was not true. It spoke of mental madness, and those people were very dangerous.

"I hadn't thought of that Jarrod. Why would someone do something so sick?" Samantha's eyes flashed as she asked her question, and he saw fear in them.

"Well, let's not worry about that until we know what is going on. I would like to explain my plan to you, and then let you decide if you want to go along with it." Jarrod made it a point to use the voice he would use with a jury pool, when he wanted to convince them of something. Samantha saw right through the ruse though.

"It sounds like you want to convince me to do something I won't like, Jarrod. That voice you just used would be perfect for a courtroom drama." Samantha replied, as she gave him a shrewd look.

"Busted, I guess! I have sometimes thought that a courtroom is rather like a stage, and a lawyer has to be a good actor." Jarrod laughed, liking how sharp she was, and so blunt too. She talked to him like an equal, and he was sure that she would hold her own in any discussion.

"Please just tell me your suggestion, and I will decide if it is agreeable." Samantha smiled at him, having enjoyed hearing him laugh. She thought it would be enjoyable to talk to him, and discuss current events. Because of her profession she always noticed people's verbal skills, and she had to admit that his were very good.

"That is a capital idea! We need to flush this guy out, or get him to make a credible demand from you. If he thinks you have a serious admirer, someone that you would not want to know about your affair, he would contact you, about buying his silence." Jarrod stopped there, and let her process what he had said so far.

"Jarrod, I see what you are trying to do, and in a way it does make sense. However, I don't have a serious admirer." Samantha was puzzled by what he had suggested, and looked at him expectantly.

"Samantha, I would like to suggest that I be your serious admirer." Jarrod put it out there, and before she could react, he went on "I will take you places, and we will do things that a courting couple might do. It would just be for show, and I promise I will be a gentleman." He pushed away the thought, at the back of his mind, that he really didn't want it to be just for show.

"This is really above and beyond the call of duty Jarrod. I appreciate your offer, but I don't think you've really thought out the repercussions for you." Samantha responded in a deliberate voice, after several minutes of silence. Jarrod tilted his head and asked what she was talking about.

"Jarrod, I know something about you and your career. You are thought to be a good lawyer, and there is talk of you running for political office. I don't think an actress would be a suitable companion for someone like you." Samantha was proud of her profession, but she knew too well how many people regarded the stage.

"Samantha, I am flattered that you 'looked me up' so to speak. I will disagree with you though, about your assessment of what kind of woman I should be seen with. An actress, especially one of your ability, would deal with political life very well. A candidate's wife has to give speeches, talk to people she doesn't know, and act happy to be where ever they are." Jarrod informed her in a firm tone, having been involved in campaigns for other politicians.

"There is also the fact that if I am, as you say, an upcoming political candidate, that would make you even more vulnerable in the blackmailer's eyes. I will understand if you need some time to think about it though." Jarrod offered to her, hoping that she would take him up on his suggestion.

She looked at the man sitting across from her, and thought about everything Peter had told her, as well as what she had learned on her own. Jarrod was kind, intelligent, and a pleasure to spend time with she had discovered. Samantha was almost sorry that it would just be a deception if she agreed to let him be her 'serious admirer'. She was wavering about what she wanted to do, and what the correct thing to do would be when he smiled at her with those twinkling aquamarine eyes.

"Jarrod, as long as you are prepared for the consequences I will do it!" Samantha declared with a big smile, as she held out her ungloved hand for him to shake. He took it, feeling how soft and warm it was; he hoped he wasn't playing with fire.

"Just so you know I will be out of town from tomorrow until the 3rd of July. We are taking the show down to Los Angeles, to perform it there." Samantha didn't know why, but his holding her hand was causing butterflies in her stomach.

"Lucky for Los Angeles! I leave on the 3rd, to go to Stockton for the 4th of July, but will be back here on the 5th." Jarrod reluctantly let go of her hand and went to consult his date book. "I see that the mayor is having a charity fund raiser at the botanical gardens on the 6th. I think that would be perfect for me to escort you to, Samantha. It will be covered by the press, and everyone will be there." Jarrod suggested, and she agreed, as they talked a little longer. He was sorry to say goodbye to her, but was looking forward to seeing her again.

_Meanwhile, in Stockton…_

Heath Barkley timed his trip into town carefully, wanting to arrive at the school just as classes ended. He didn't want to have to wait outside the schoolhouse, but he didn't want to miss her before she left for home. He had been trying for the last two weeks to talk to Susannah, but she had, he could almost swear, been avoiding him.

He was frustrated about the situation with her, and concerned that something had happened at the tea party his mother had hosted. His fears had been intensified when none of the females in his family had been able to give him a straight answer on what had occurred during the event. When Audra had first told him about her plan he'd been excited, hoping that it would help his pursuit of Susannah. Heath wasn't dumb, and had picked up that the girl's mother didn't care for him in the least.

Catherine had been the first person he'd run into, after the tea party. Heath was glad about that, because his sister-in-law was tactful and polite. He was dismayed to learn that she'd been late to the party, and then left halfway through, because Nick needed her help with some paperwork. He took that excuse with a grain of salt, being pretty sure that Nick had only wanted her company in their bedroom. Heath did give Catherine high points for delivering her spiel with a straight face. His brother had once told him that he would never play poker with her, and he could see why.

Heath doubted though that Nick played poker with her, being occupied doing other things. He'd received a little too much information on that subject just recently. It had occurred while he had been teasing Nick about wearing out the mattress in his bedroom. His brother had smirked at him and commented 'what makes you think we confine ourselves to the bed?' Nick had then walked away looking very pleased about it all, while leaving Heath opened mouth.

Audra and Victoria were not encouraging when he talked to them, which bothered him. His mother said that Mrs. Alderson did most of the talking, all about the Methodist church. She added that Susannah seemed very shy. Audra confirmed what their mother said, and went a step further by suggesting that she didn't think Heath and Susannah had a lot in common.

He disagreed with his sister, but didn't say so to her face. Heath had seen that Susannah was not good in large groups of people, but one on one she was very different. At first she'd been shy with him, but the last couple of times they'd talked she had started to open up to him. He liked how gentle and low key she was, as well as pretty too. Susannah was down to earth, and not interested in money or social prestige. He also felt bad for how she was treated by her parents, especially her mother.

The Sunday following the tea party he'd tried to talk to her after church, but she had avoided him. The next week he'd been up in the high country, dealing with some mining operations, but did see her on Sunday. It was then that Heath felt like she was giving him the brush off, helped by her mother. He wanted to know why, so he'd come up with his plan to talk to her at the schoolhouse, where she would be alone.

It cheered him to see that he'd time it just right, as the kids were leaving the schoolhouse as he rode down the street. Heath walked his horse slowly, wanting the kids to be gone when he pulled up. Arriving at the school building, he tied his horse to the rail and stepped up on the porch, pausing before he went inside. Through the door he could see that she was working at her desk, and was by herself.

Susannah looked up in surprise when Heath walked into the schoolroom, suddenly feeling shy about talking to him. She had been shocked when her mother had told her that he was supposed to be the one to marry the Russian princess. That night she had reviewed everything Heath had said about his sister-in-law, all of it complimentary. She came to the conclusion that her mother was right, that he would have preferred being married to her.

That fact made her decision to stay away from Heath easy to implement, even though it hurt her. Susannah had started to grow fond of Heath, with his easy good looks, bright blue eyes, and his kind heart. She could never imagine him raising his voice, or being cruel to her. She also liked how he talked to her, like she had something worth saying. That didn't happen in her life at home, so she treasured it with Heath. However, having met his sister-in-law now she had no problems seeing why Heath would have preferred her.

Having him standing here in front of her though made that resolution hard to keep. She managed to say "Hello Heath." Without looking up from the paper she was grading. In truth it was hard to look him in the eye, or to keep her hand from shaking.

"Hello Susannah, how are you doing? I was in town picking some items up, and thought I'd stop by." Heath started with a simple opening, wishing she would look up at him. He decided to sit down in the chair that was next to the desk, wanting to put her at ease, and have her think it was a chance encounter that he was at the school house.

"Well, I'm rather busy grading some papers, Heath." Susannah finally looked up, both hoping and dreading he would leave. Heath saw worry in her eyes hazel eyes, and he wondered again what was going on with her.

"I promise not to stay too long, but I did want to have the chance to visit with you, and not with a crowd of people around." He specifically meant her mother, but wasn't going to say that out loud. Instead he mentioned the subject he'd wanted to talk about. "I heard that you had tea with some of my family. I hope you had a good time." Heath was careful to keep his neutral, and not betray what he was feeling.

"Yes, Mama and I did. Your house is lovely, and everyone very nice; I even met Catherine and Nick." Susannah replied, still trying to reconcile that the dark, loud man was Heath's brother.

Heath was startled to hear the mention of Nick, and the fact he'd not heard anything about it before now. That was very untypical Nick behavior, not to have said anything about Susannah. His brother was not afraid to voice his opinion of anything, or anyone, Heath knew very well. Couple that with the way Heath had been teasing Nick he found it odd that Nick had not retaliated with probing about Susannah. He put that thought aside for now, planning on talking to Nick later.

"I hope Nick wasn't too loud for you! And I'm sure that you noticed Catherine's clothes, right?" Heath inquired, very interested in what she was going to say.

"Actually, he didn't stay for too long, just said hello to us. He wanted Catherine to help him in the study, with some paperwork. She is very beautiful, and her clothes were exquisite." Susannah answered him, and noticed how he smiled with amusement. It made her sad that he was so fond of his sister-in-law.

In fact Heath was smiling because of the reference to the study, and Nick's comment about 'not confining to a bed'. "Catherine is very beautiful, but I find her clothes to be rather over the top for my taste. Plus, she changes them two to three times a day!" Heath chuckled, thinking of all the time and effort it took.

"Well, if I had those kinds of clothes I would probably want to wear as many of them as possible too." Susannah's voice had a wistful note in it, and Heath realized belatedly that to a woman changing clothes wasn't a waste of time in their minds.

"Don't get me wrong, I like to see girls in pretty dresses, including you! I just find Catherine's clothes too elaborate for my taste, but that doesn't matter. Nick adores all those ruffles, lace, and bows, which is what Catherine cares about." Heath hoped he had extracted himself from the hole he'd almost fallen in. He was sure that Susannah had never had a dress even remotely resembling what Catherine wore, and it made him sad to think that.

Susannah for her part was cheered that he thought his sister-in-law was overdressed, and also the comment about Catherine and Nick. It emboldened her to mention what she'd heard from her mother. "Heath, I heard something in town that you were supposed to be the one to go to Alaska." She put it out there, wanting to see what his reaction was.

"Boy howdy, I swear that if everything else in this town stops working, the rumor mill never will!" Heath shook his head, starting to see what was bothering her. He sighed, and hoped he would say the right thing to her. Susannah watched him, waiting to see if she had upset him by asking. However, she wanted to know, and he had made the effort to come see her.

"Yes, I was supposed to go to Alaska, to purchase the land grant, but I hurt my leg at the last minute, falling from a horse. Nick went in my place, and Catherine's uncle had planned on only selling us the grant if one of us married her." Heath paused, to make sure he had her attention "However, if I'd been the one to go up there, I would not have agreed to marry her, and returned home without the land grant."

"Heath, I know from the talk in town that the property from the land grant is going to help the economy in the valley. It is said that it is going to make a lot of money for your family too. You would really have turned your back on all that?" Susannah was suspicious; what she'd heard about rich men all her life is that they only wanted to get richer.

"There is no amount of money that is worth giving up the freedom of your heart and soul, Susannah. I love the valley, and my heritage, but I lived for a long time without it. As long as your heart and soul are free, nothing else matters." Heath told her with absolute sincerity, having decided at a young age that he would never sacrifice his freedom for material goods.

Susannah gave a lot of consideration to what he had just said, and was willing to believe him. He didn't dress or act like a rich man. She didn't know how to reconcile that to his love for his brother, who had done what Heath said he never would. Summoning her courage, she asked him about what he was saying.

"It's different for Nick, Susannah. The land is his heart and soul, and he would do anything to secure it and protect it." Heath proclaimed, knowing his brother all too well. It had taken him and Nick a while to get to where they were, and some of it had been because of Heath accepting how Nick felt about his property.

"Catherine didn't care that he only married her because of the land grant?" Susannah knew all about arranged marriages, but thinking about the elaborately dressed woman she had met, it was hard to think she would settle for that kind of arrangement.

"She comes from a family of European land owners; wars have been fought for centuries to control and protect the family lands. Catherine understood what her uncle and Nick did, and at the beginning of the relationship I have no doubt she respected him for the choice he'd made. It was what any of her family members would have done." Heath had spent enough time talking to his sister-in-law to know that what he was saying was true.

"That is why they are so good together, and fell in love with each other like they did. Catherine sees Nick for what he is, and loves and admires him for those reasons. He never has to pretend to be anything else with her. They are soul mates in every sense of the word; between you and me Nick is not always the easiest person to deal with. However, Catherine thinks he is wonderful, and Nick would do anything to protect and care for her." Heath asserted, wondering what it would be like to have that kind of a relationship.

Susannah heard what he was saying, and also heard the longing in his voice. She saw that he wanted the kind of relationship his brother had, but he knew that Catherine was not the person to give it to him. It concerned her though because as much as she was attracted to Heath, she couldn't imagine him kissing her the way the other couple had kissed. She thought though that it would be incredible to have someone feel about her like Nick did about Catherine.

"I saw some of that when they were together Heath; Nick walked into the room, and it was like she didn't see anything else besides him." Susannah said truthfully. She didn't want to go into her mother's reaction to the obvious affection between the couple. Heath smiled with relief, glad that she understood what he was saying.

"Hey, the 4th of July celebration is coming up, and the town makes a big day of it. I'll be busy with some competitions earlier, but was wondering if you would like to eat dinner with me and my family? We can then watch the fireworks afterwards." Heath tried to keep his voice calm, hoping his nervousness didn't show. He noticed that Susannah's eyes had opened wide, but wasn't sure if it was with pleasure or not.

"Heath, I think it would be fun but I would need my parent's permission." Susannah stuttered, wishing she could just say yes. "You have to understand, my family, especially my mother, are very strict with me." She finished her reply.

"Look, I know your mother doesn't care for me, and I can guess why. Your father though seems to be all right with me. What if I talk to him, and explain that my mother will be there the entire time." Heath hoped his approach would work. It pained him that Susannah's mother was the way she was, and he longed to rescue her from the woman. Heath was sure that the girl had never done anything fun in her life.

"I guess that would work, but why don't you wait until just before the 4th, or maybe during the day? That way my mother can't get my father to change his mind." Susannah felt excited, and like she was on a cloud as she looked at Heath. She'd never thought anyone would be attracted to her, especially someone like the blonde cowboy.

"It sounds like a plan then. I'll let you get back to your papers, Susannah. Thank you for saying yes; I will be eagerly looking forward to the 4th." Heath stood up, giving her a big smile as he said his goodbyes. He rode back to the ranch very happy, trying to figure out the best approach to make to her father. Susannah for her part couldn't keep focused on the papers she was grading, and finally gave up, thinking about Heath instead.


	28. Chapter 28

_**The Fourth of July – Part One**_

"Ka..ta..rina!" Nick strode into the front hall and called happily for his wife. Victoria, Audra, and Jarrod were already in the hall. Victoria winced as his voice filled the entrance way.

Heath entered behind Nick, saying "Boy Howdy, Nick one of these days you are going to crack the crystal chandelier!" Nick laughed at that comment, as he turned toward the staircase.

"You know that she is half-British, Nick; maybe she doesn't feel about the 4th of July like we do." Heath teased his brother, enjoying the shocked look Nick had on his face.

"What do you mean she wouldn't like the 4th of July? Everyone likes the 4th of July!" Nick stomped one of his booted feet for emphasis, as his spur jingled.

"Obviously someone didn't pay attention in history class!" Jarrod commented with an amused smile, as he took a puff of his cigar.

"Jarrod, you have been in awfully good spirits since you've been home; what is the reason?" Audra questioned her brother, and everyone turned to look at him. In fact there was a reason, but he didn't want to say anything about it.

Samantha had sent him a letter from Los Angeles, which was now in his jacket pocket. It had arrived at his office just as he was leaving, so he took it with him to read on the train. The letter only talked about the play, and what the old Spanish city was like, but it pleased him that she had written to him.

He had enjoyed reading the letter, and her observations on what she'd seen. Her approach was sophisticated and intellectual, a combination he had rarely come across in a woman. Jarrod also liked how she'd signed the letter with the comment that she was looking forward to their 'outing'. Luckily he was spared from having to answer his sister.

"I am American now, and would not miss the 4th of July! There is also the fact that I will get to watch my handsome husband win the horserace!" Katarina came down the staircase all white and blue. Her dress was white cotton lawn inset with bands of white openwork, all of which swept back into a bustle of white frothy ruffles. A sash of light blue satin was tied around her tiny waist in a big bow, with the steamers fluttering down her back.

The light blue ribbon was echoed in the bow that trimmed her white broad brimmed hat, the leg o'mutton sleeves on the dress, as well as her parasol. She had a choker necklace of pale blue aquamarines and diamonds, with matching earrings and bracelets. Katarina looked like the goddess of summer, decorated like a petit fours.

Nick took one look at his wife and grinned from ear to ear "Now that is my girl! When I win the trophy I will expect a big kiss from you!" He met her at the base of the staircase and put his arms around her as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.

Jarrod watched it with an indulgent smile, thinking that kissing Samantha like that would be very pleasurable. He was pretty sure that she would enjoy it as much as his sister-in-law did. Heath rolled his eyes, both at Nick's boast about winning the horserace, and his kissing Catherine. His brother didn't need to win the race to get Catherine to kiss him, as she was always willing no matter where or when.

Heath took a closer look at her clothes though, knowing that Susannah would notice every detail. In his opinion all that white was ill-suited for how dusty the streets could be, while the jewelry was too much for the middle of the day. He also privately thought that only birthday or Christmas gifts should be decorated with big bows, not people. Looking at his brother, actually both his brothers, he saw that they didn't share his viewpoint.

The next ten minutes were spent with Audra gushing over Catherine's outfit, and getting into the carriages to take them into town. Heath was riding his mount into town, to help warm him up for the race. He was surprised to see Nick and Catherine get into the two seater carriage, and then found out that his brother had sent his mount into town earlier with one of the ranch hands. Heath at first thought it was rather arrogant of his brother, and then decided that Nick had wanted to accompany Catherine.

He knew he was being overly critical of his brother, and while he didn't like it, Heath couldn't help himself. The cause of it was clear, and he wanted to put it past them, but he felt that until Nick stopped stonewalling him it was going to be like a tiny pebble in your boot. You could still walk, but you felt the little jab every time you took a step.

The issue was that two days after talking to Susannah at the schoolhouse, Heath had finally been able to ask his brother about the tea party. The reply he'd received, that Nick had been too busy with his wife to notice the Alderson's, didn't placate Heath. The fact that Nick was the worst liar in the world made it clear that his brother was holding something back. It bothered him that Nick wouldn't be honest with him, since it was so out of character.

Heath decided to think about Susannah instead, as he rode into town. His plan was to approach her and her parents during the day, about her having dinner with him and his family. He was hoping that everything would work out. She would have a lot of fun with his family, he was sure.

The Barkley's arrived in town before the parade started, so they were able to get good seats in the shaded grandstand. Nick watched as Katarina took in the parade, the bands, the horses, and the floats. He had to explain the civil war veterans groups and what their uniforms meant. After the parade were the various contests, including the shooting and culminating with the horse race.

Nick, for the fourth year in a row won the shooting contest, which he credited his English rifle with. Katarina stood proudly next to him when he accepted his cash prize, which he promptly donated to the orphanage. The horse race was close, with Heath giving Nick a good run for the finish line. However, Nick's quick bay stallion, Rumrunner, pushed ahead with a burst of speed.

Heath looked on as Nick accepted his prize, and rolled his eyes when Catherine kissed him with great enthusiasm. He was sure that every man was as jealous as hell of his brother, but all he wanted to do was sigh. His brother was going to be even fuller of himself now; because of winning the race on the horse he rode. Heath glanced over at him, smiling, and talking loudly about how well the horse did, as Catherine looked on adoringly.

Rumrunner was a new mount for Nick, having arrived with a herd of horses that had been bought from a ranch in the Medicine Bow forest of Wyoming. The harsh winters, along with the lush spring and summer grass made for strong horses. Heath had been given first choice of the horse, but had thought him too temperamental for ranch work because of his thoroughbred bloodline. Nick had decided to take him because he liked how fast the animal was, and today he had been proved right. His brother wouldn't let him hear the end of it, Heath knew.

"Heath, I'm sorry you didn't win! I thought you were going to." Susannah's soft voice caused Heath to turn around and look at the pretty woman. She had a green dress on that was trimmed with bands of brown grosgrain ribbon at the hem and sleeves. The neckline was rounded, with more ribbon trim in a scroll design. Her hat was a simple straw hat tied with green ribbons, and Heath though she looked great. He liked the fact that the dress was simple, and practical.

"Hey, Susannah how nice to see you! I thought I was going to win also, but Rumrunner is just faster than Charger here." Heath replied, as he stroked his horse's neck. She came closer to him, and noticed that he was still sweating some, from the exertion of the race. Susannah knew she should be turned off by it, but for some reason she wasn't.

"Can I pet him? Will he bite me?" Susannah asked in a tremulous voice, as she looked at the stallion, adding "is Rumrunner Nick's horse?" Heath saw that she was regarding the horse with large eyes filled with apprehension.

"Of course you can pet him, and he won't bit you! He is as gentle as they come. Yes, Rumrunner is Nick's horse." Heath moved the horse's head closer to Susannah, who reached up very slowly and gently stroked his nose.

"It feels like velvet, so soft, and he has pretty eyes too." She pulled her hand back for an instant, and then reached out to stroke his forehead, commenting "I've never touched a horse before." That remark caused Heath to look at her incredulously.

"Susannah, really? Don't you ride? And didn't they have horses in New Hampshire?" His mind boggled at what she had just told him. Heath had never met a woman who didn't know about horses.

"No, I've never ridden in my life; we've always lived in the city. Mama never let me go to the stables, or touch the carriage horses; she said they were dirty." She confessed, as she looked almost embarrassed about the fact.

To change the subject Susannah offered "Heath, my mother is sick, so she didn't come into town for the celebrations with my father and me. I have to help with lunch at the church, and afterwards, but I'm sure my father will be all right with me having dinner with you and your family." She took a deep breath and gave him a shy glance from under her hat "that is if you still want me to?"

Heath decided then and there that he didn't care if he'd lost the race, because he had just won the prize he'd wanted. "Susannah, that makes me so happy I don't care about the race. Can we go find your father right now?" He wanted to make sure that it would be all set for the evening. She laughed and they walked off together.

Nick had no problems figuring out when Katarina became sad; he wasn't sure why, but he knew what had started it. They had been together for four months now and intimate for almost the last month. He could read her like a book, being closer to her than anyone he'd ever met before. It worked both ways; she could do the same thing to him.

Katarina had been happy when he'd won the horserace, and had shown how proud she was of him. She had looked beautiful in her white and blue outfit, with the sparkling blue stones in her jewelry. As she kissed him in front of the whole town he was sure that he was the luckiest man in the world, having her in love with him.

After the race had been lunch, a feast of fried chicken, ham, and all the side dishes that went with those foods. The sides of beef were already slowly roasting on spits over at the fairgrounds, in preparation for the dinner tonight. Nick had explained why the menu was the way it was, and she had nodded her head. Since Silas tended to cook 'southern' she was familiar with most of what was offered.

When the lunch was done the various politicians had stood up, to make their speeches. They were supposed to stick to approved patriotic themes, but there was always one who launched their next re-election campaign early. Nick had not been paying attention when Senator Wayne Hutchins stepped up to the stand. He knew that it was supposedly a big deal that one of the two senators was here in Stockton, but could have cared less. In fact he was all set to turn away when the overweight man perspiring in his black wool suit mentioned Alaska.

_Finally, as I close my address to you fine residents of our glorious state of California, I have the honor of making the official announcement of a great achievement for the United States of America! As of today, the territory of Alaska now belongs to America!_

He and Katarina had been sitting together on a bench under a tree, along with Victoria and Jarrod. Audra was off with some of her friends, while Heath had decided to volunteer to help the church ladies clean up from the lunch. When the Senator made his announcement the band had started to play 'Battle Hymn of the Republic'. He waited until it was done before he started speaking again.

_This morning in the capitol of the territory, Sitka, formerly New Archangel, the flag of imperial Russia was lowered as a band played the Russian anthem 'God Save the Tsar'. Once it was lowered, the flag of our mighty nation was raised, the first time the stars and bars flew over the immense land we now own. The band played 'The Star Spangled Banner' celebrating our country._

The florid senator spoke for several more minutes but Nick didn't hear anything. Instead he had felt a tension come into Katarina's body, which caught his attention. He then became aware that everyone around them was casting discrete glances at his wife, to see what her reaction was to the news. Nick wanted to tell them not to waste their time, because his wife was the most cool, collected person he had ever met. A niece of the representative of the Tsar, and granddaughter of the representative of the English queen, she was immune to people watching her.

Her self-control and sense of who she was had impressed him the first time they met. Nick knew that she was aware that people were watching her, by how she slightly tilted her chin. He was close enough to see, for a half second the tightening of her mouth before it returned to a neutral position. That had been the beginning of her being sad, but he hadn't understood the implications until later.

Once the speeches were done everyone mingled with the various politicians, wanting to see and be seen. The Barkley's were close friends with most of the speakers, including Senator Hutchins. The man wasted no time in coming over to Victoria, even though his real quarry was her daughter-in-law, the lovely Russian princess. Nick watched as the sweating man bowed to Katarina, trying to be as ingratiating as possible. He had no problems sensing the tension in her coiling tighter and tighter.

Nick's eyes narrowed as everyone wanted to talk to her, and ask her about Alaska and her thoughts on the sale. He had to give Katarina credit for how she responded to the probing, with calm detachment. However, when he saw her white gloved hand clenched around the handle of her parasol, as a state representative asked her what Russia was like he knew he had to act.

"Katarina, I want you to come with me to check on Rumrunner!" Nick's booted feet were heavy on the ground, his spurs jingling as he marched up next to his wife. He looked annoyed, and the other men all understood what his tone of voice meant. It was well known that Nick Barkley was proud, bad tempered, and possessive as hell. Couple that with being the best shot in the state, and the men, even being important representatives of California knew to step back.

Jarrod had been watching the whole scene, and admiring how Catherine dealt with the various politicians and their egos. It had been a fun show to watch, but he really wasn't surprised when his brother decided to throw his weight around. He didn't blame Nick, because she was his wife and he had the right to act like he was.

Jarrod wasn't sure why his brother was so annoyed, but with Nick it didn't take much. He stepped up to sooth the senator's ruffled feathers, as Nick marched off with Catherine. It came to him that having Samantha here would have been a big help in dealing with the self-important senator. Having that thought made him wonder if he was doing the right thing with the scheme he'd come up with.


	29. Chapter 29

_**The Fourth of July – Part Two**_

Katarina took Nick's arm gladly, excusing herself from the red face man in the too tight black suit. She was relieved to get away from everyone, to process why she was feeling what she was. They walked over to where the Barkley horses were tied up, under a grove of trees in back of the livery stable. Rumrunner recognized them right away, and after she said hello to the horse she let Nick check his legs. It gave her time to think, to collect her thoughts.

Nick had felt the tension leave her body as they walked, which made him feel better. However, he could tell the sadness was still there, and didn't know what to say. He took longer than necessary to check his mount's legs, slowly feeling forelocks and tendons. As he walked around the horse he glanced at his wife and saw that she was deep in thought about something. It came to him that they needed somewhere private to talk.

"Sugar, let's go over to the park by the river; I want to get away from all the noise." Nick suggested, and Katarina nodded her head. She opened her parasol and they walked over to the park, which was an oasis of grass, shrubs, and flowers. He led her into the area, and then veered to the right before they turned into a small grove of trees. They went several steps in, and she saw a bench next to a flowering shrub.

The soft pink flowers looked like they were made from crepe paper, and emitted a delicate smell. Katarina didn't realize until she sat down that you could see the river from a small opening in the trees. She laid her parasol aside, and took off her gloves, putting them on top of her sunshade. Nick heard her sigh, as she looked out at the broad river flowing past.

"Darling, what's going on? You're sad, and while listening to politicians is no fun, I don't think they are the cause; at least not directly." Nick stated, wondering if the mention of Alaska had bothered her. He knew she'd only been there for two weeks before they met, and she'd never let on any fondness for the place.

"Nicholas, I don't know; I mean, oh it's nothing, just nothing." Katarina sighed again, as she regarded the river flowing by. It reminded her of the Volga that ran through her grandfather's estate in Russia, where she'd been born. She felt tears gather in her eyes, and did her best to stop them before more came.

"Katarina, it is not 'nothing' if it makes you feel sad! I see that you are trying not to cry, which tells me whatever it is, it's important." Nick replied softly, as he handed her a handkerchief. He watched as she blotted her eyes, and then turned to look at him.

"I love you Nicholas! I love being your wife, sharing your home, your bed." Katarina declared, looking at him with love. He was handsome, strong, and proud, a man she admired so much. She still sometimes found it hard to believe that he was her husband.

"Sugar, I feel the same way about you! You are the best thing that ever happened to me, and I love you!" Nick averred, and then went on "When I brought you to the valley I admired how you had dealt with the circumstances you found yourself in, never complaining about anything. I swore that if I did nothing else I was going to do my best to make your life better than it had been. Katarina, if I'm going to keep my promise, you need to tell me what is upsetting you."

"Nicholas, I don't even know how to explain it very well. It started when that ghastly man was screaming about America and Alaska, and he mentioned the Russian national anthem." Katarina started, taking a deep breath before going on "it is a very moving piece of music and it came to me that I'd never hear it again. That started me thinking about what else I'd never experience again; the smell of the sunflower fields, the way bortsch tastes, the scent of incense in church."

She saw concern in how he was looking at her, and she wanted to reassure him. "I don't want to go back to Russia, Nicholas no that is not it! I don't want to live under a regime like that, and I am so happy here in America! I love you so much, please don't misunderstand me." Katarina's words were rushed, and she knew she was botching the whole thing.

Suddenly it all came together in his mind, as he thought about her life now in America. Nick saw that as much as she liked America, it was still a foreign country to her. The food, the religion, the way of life was not what she'd grown up, or ever expected. He tried to imagine how it would be for him if he'd had to give up everything he was familiar with. Nick was sure that he would not bear it with the same grace that Katarina had, never fussing.

"Sugar, its called homesickness, and I think it is very normal. Actually I'm surprised you haven't suffered from it before now." Nick pulled her close, being careful of her broad brimmed hat, as he put his arms around her shoulders. He felt her move against him, as she let her head rest on his shoulder.

"You're not upset?" Katarina was surprised that he'd taken her confession so well, because of the passion he felt for his land. She raised her head to look at him with wonderment, and saw only love in his eyes. "Oh Nicholas, I am so lucky to have you! Thank you for understanding!" She felt the tears start to come, and he took the handkerchief from her hands and gently blotted her eyes. An idea had come to him, and he hoped it would help her.

"I have been impressed with how well you've coped with everything since you've been here. Nothing is what you are used to, and I don't blame you for wanting to eat food that you grew up with. If you could manage for a couple more weeks I might have a solution for the food and religion at least. The sunflowers could be pretty tough, though!" Nick's voice was upbeat, and she noticed that he had one of his big grins on his face. It made her smile too, trying to imagine what he could do about sunflowers; she was also curious about what his plan was.

"Darling, I know that there is a Russian cathedral in San Francisco." Nick stated, before going on "I bet there are some Russian restaurants there too. I think it would be fun for us to take a trip there, and spend a couple of days, just the two of us, enjoying ourselves. The beginning of August is less than three weeks away, and that first week is always slow on the ranch. You can introduce me to this bortsch, and whatever else you like to eat."

Katarina regarded him with amazement, as he laid out his plan. He was so kind and good to her, she thought, and then noticed he was waiting for her answer.

"Nicholas, I would love too! Are you sure you can manage the time away?" Katarina was suddenly concerned that it would take him away from important work, and said as much.

"Sugar, there is nothing more important than you! However, I will confess that I am looking forward to having some fun in the city too. There is a new casino, on a riverboat in the harbor, that is supposed to be as nice as Monte Carlo. I hear they have a French chef, top notch entertainment, and gambling like you've never seen before." Nick informed her with enthusiasm, and watched as her eyes lit up again.

"Well, I've never been to Monte Carlo, but I've heard lots about it, so I would like to see this casino you talk about." Katarina answered, before a thought occurred to her "are women allowed?" She knew that a lot of gaming establishments, especially in America were for men only, unlike in France and Germany.

"I told you that it is supposed to be like Monte Carlo, and yes women are allowed as long as they have male escorts." Nick had checked it out a while ago, when he'd first heard about it. He had thought she would be interested in it, because she had told him what she knew about Monte Carlo and Baden Baden after he had told her a story about a run of luck he'd had at the tables a while ago. At the time Nick had been pleased when she'd not been shocked that he gambled. Instead she had asked him what games were played in America. He then remembered hearing about all the money Russian noblemen gambled with in Europe.

"So, the trip will have something for me and something for you? I like it, oh thank you Nicholas; you are so wonderful! I love you." Katarina almost purred as she cuddled up close to him. His lips found hers, as his tongue gently entered her mouth. The kiss deepened in intensity as he felt her hands slide under his leather vest, to caress his chest. Her fingertips brushed against his nipples, which were hardening under the thin shirt.

Nick almost groaned as she moved against him, awakening a burning hunger inside him. He realized that it would be hours until they were back home, where he could make love to her. Katarina's hands moved around to his back, where he felt her fingers making the skin tingle. All of a sudden he didn't want to wait until tonight, as a hard wave of desire hit his body.

One of his hands moved to stroke her jaw, as he started putting butterfly kisses on her cheeks and eyes. Nick wished there was more privacy than where they were, so he could do what he wanted to her. However, the park was too public, and he started to pull back, when an idea came to him. He thought about it, and realized that it was perfect; somewhere they wouldn't be disturbed for the entire afternoon.

It was the idea of the afternoon though, that made the one part of his brain that hadn't shut down aware of the drawback to his idea. It was tradition for the ladies to go to a friend's houses, to rest up before the evening festivies. He had made plans to meet up with Heath, and like they did every year hang out together. They would examine whatever livestock was for sale, have a beer, and visit with other ranchers.

Nick felt bad about abandoning Heath, but he reasoned that Katarina came first because she was his wife. There was also the issue with how Heath had been snapping at him lately, for no reason. He then remembered that his brother had barely congratulated him on winning the horserace, before he was gone. Nick had put it down to Heath not wanting to admit that he'd been wrong about Rumrunner. Thinking about that now, he decided that Heath probably wouldn't care if he showed up or not.

"Sugar, we need to find somewhere a little more private, unless you want me to take your clothes off right here?" Nick asked in a husky voice, as he looked at her flush cheeks and soft lips that were wet from him kissing them. Katarina gave him a wide eyed stare, and then nodded her head.

"Is that a yes, to finding somewhere more private, or a yes to me undressing you here?" Nick teased, as he stood up, holding out his hand to her.

"Nicholas Barkley, if you think I would let you undress me here in public, you've been in the sun for too long!" She proclaimed, looking at him in horror, until she realized he was joking. "Where is this private place?" Katarina questioned, wondering what he was up to. He told her to follow him, and picking up her parasol and gloves did so.

When they walked over to Jarrod's law office she was puzzled as to what they were doing there, and said so. Nick pulled out a metal ring that he kept in his vest pocket; several keys were dangling from it, including the keys for the gun cabinet, and several important buildings on the ranch.

"It so happens that Jarrod gave me a key to his office, in case there was ever an emergency." Nick declared, as he opened the door to the waiting room, and stepped aside to let he walk in. He then locked that door and led her across the room to the door to the office, which he used the same key to unlock.

"Nicholas, you're not serious are you?" Katarina peered into her brother-in-law's office, and then looked at her husband open mouthed. He almost pushed her into the room, and then locked the door behind them. She inhaled the slight scent of Jarrod's cologne, and the sharper odor of his cigars. "This seems almost too intrusive, and what if he decides to come to the office?"

"Honey, he is going to be too busy placating all those politicians I ticked off when I swept you away! We have two locked doors, a sofa, and the whole afternoon together." Nick let his hands settle on her waist, as he bent down and let his tongue lightly lick her parted lips. Katarina sighed and melted against him, suddenly not caring where they were.

"Once you take your hat off, I am going to take the rest of your clothes off, so I can kiss every inch of your beautiful body." Nick whispered into her ear, and she reached up to take the hat pins out, before she took her hat off. She put the pins, with their enameled tips, carefully into the crown of the headpiece. Katarina set it carefully set it on the credenza that offset the desk.

"Nicholas, you are very clever!" Katarina almost purred, as she gave him a bold glance before saying "Once you get me out of my clothes, I am going to get you out of yours!" She was admiring his broad shoulders, and as he turned her around, to undo the back of her dress he laughed.

"Of course I'm clever, Sugar; I married you!" Nick laughed with delight as he unhooked her choker necklace of sparkling blue stones, before moving on to the snaps of her dress. It truly was going to be a spectacular 4th of July, he thought as he heard the soft moan she made when he kissed the back of her bare neck.

Heath had finished helping Susannah, and the other ladies clean-up after the lunch. She excused herself to go rest with several of the other ladies, while he went to find Nick. He was in good spirits because Susannah's father had agreed that she could eat dinner with the Barkley's, and that Heath could even bring her home. Mrs. Alderson getting sick, Heath decided, was truly a blessing.

Once he said good afternoon to Susannah, he went over to the town square to wait for Nick. The statue of their father sat in the middle of the area, with a fountain in front of it gurgling gently. Heath didn't know it, but only Victoria had wanted the statue here. Jarrod and Nick had wanted it to be in the park that bordered the river, which their father had known was the life blood of the valley.

Victoria though had felt like Tom was more important than the river, and he needed to be the center of attention. At the time Jarrod had been grappling with the loose ends his father had left, while Nick had been trying to establish himself as the successor to the great man. They were not in mental shape to challenge their mother, so they bowed to her will.

Heath looked up at the statue now, of the father he would never know, wondering how his life would have been different if his mother had not made the decision she had. He still remembered the dedication ceremony, and the irony of wearing his father's boots. He, the bastard son, fit into those boots better than Tom's legitimate sons had.

The sun dial that decorated the fountain showed that Heath had been standing there for almost half an hour, as he waited for Nick. Heath sighed, as he realized that Nick wasn't going to be coming to meet him. On one level he wasn't surprised, because his brother's life had changed since he'd married, which was not unexpected. He was disappointed though because he'd been hoping to talk to Nick about the tea party and the Alderson's, before Susannah ate dinner with them tonight. Heath sighed, and headed over the saloon, to look for a card game and a drink.

Jarrod had taken Senator Hutchins and the other politicians over to the bar at the Cattlemen's Hotel. It was cool, and the drinks were refreshing. He spent about an hour with the men, until they had to catch their train. After seeing them off, Jarrod decided to go to his office to get some work done. He crossed the street, and headed over to the building, wishing the sun wasn't so hot.

Arriving at his office he unlocked the front door and walked into the waiting room. He crossed the floor, covered with a Turkish rug done in reds and blues, to get to the door for his office. Jarrod took the key and was all set to insert it into the lock when he became aware of sounds coming from inside the room. The soundproofing for his office was very good, because a lawyer needed privacy for his clients. He reasoned that if he was hearing sounds now, they must be very loud, even if they sounded muffled from this side of the door.

Jarrod stood very still and listened for another minute, until he figured out what the sounds were. It was a feminine sounding scream that alerted him, followed by a male exclamation; there was only one activity that resulted in those kinds of noises, in Jarrod's experience. He put the pieces together as he remembered that only Nick and Heath had keys to his office.

He shook his head ruefully, knowing he should be upset, but actually admiring Nick's actions. His brother had wanted time alone with his wife, and had achieved it right under everyone's nose. Jarrod tried to stop himself from thinking about getting Samantha on the sofa, but wasn't successful. He grinned as he thought about getting her to scream with passion.

Walking slowly and quietly, he left the waiting room, to head back into the hot, sunny street. Jarrod decided to go back to the Cattlemen's hotel, and the cool bar. He was hoping that when he saw the couple evening, he would be able to look Catherine in the eye. Jarrod was disappointed that he wasn't going to get his work done, and he wondered if he could send his brother a bill for legal services, for use of the office.


	30. Chapter 30

_**The Fourth of July – Part Three**_

Susannah was walking over to the fairgrounds with Heath, to meet his family for dinner, feeling very nervous. She had been excited earlier, but as the time came closer she started to get worried about dealing with that many people. The tea party had been nerve wracking, and from what Heath had said there would be a large crowd tonight.

Her dress also concerned her, and she wished she had brought something else to change into, after helping with lunch. It felt limp after the work in the kitchen, and she had considered going home to select another one. However, she didn't want to have her mother keep her from going out again. There was also the fact that her other dresses were all like this one, very plain and simple.

Heath led Susannah through the maze of tables, saying hello to people as he passed them. His mind was on Susannah, and how tense she seemed, which was different from earlier in the day. He noticed that she looked down a lot, especially when people were greeting them. He saw some of his family members, sitting at a table over the left, and hoped that they would put Susannah at her ease.

Victoria, who was sitting opposite Jarrod, Nick, and Catherine, saw Heath and Susannah first. Heath had told her about his plans earlier in the day, and she was eager to have the chance to get to know the girl without her mother around. She still had misgivings about the relationship, but knew that all she could do at this point was keep her mouth shut and see how things developed.

Susannah saw Heath's mother smiling at them, which cheered her up and made her feel welcome. The feeling didn't stay though as she get closer to the table and could hear Nick's booming voice. He was talking to a man who was standing by the end of the table that she recognized as another rancher. His voice made her jump, and it reminded her of how she'd dropped her tea cup. She was happy to see the man was called away by someone else, so she wouldn't have to talk to him too.

"Susannah, Heath, good to see you!" Victoria exclaimed as the couple arrived at the table "You have met Catherine and Nick, but I don't think you've met Jarrod yet." She did the introductions, and watched as the girl managed a small smile and hello, hardly raising her eyes from the table.

"Why don't you all come sit next to me, since Audra has run off to eat with some friends of hers." Victoria indicated space on the bench next to her, while the three people across the table all said hello. The older woman noticed that when Nick said hello in his loud voice the girl startled, which made her wonder how the meal was going to go.

"Hello, it is nice to see you, and thank you for letting me eat with you." Susannah remembered her manners and raised her eyes to notice that she was across from Heath's sister-in-law. It gave her a close up look of the dress and jewelry that she'd noticed from a distance earlier in the day. She marveled at the elaborate open work that decorated the white dress that was still fresh looking. As she eyed the fabric she wondered how many washings it would survive, with as delicate as it was.

The thought of a dress like that, with the pretty satin ribbon and bows it had, was mind boggling to her. The jewelry, composed of large pale blue stones, and small diamonds was elaborate enough for a ball in her opinion. Susannah wondered what it would be like to wear clothes like that all the time, as well as fancy jewelry. She became aware that the well dressed woman was staring at her, and she flushed.

"Your dress is beautiful, Catherine!" Susannah stammered, wishing she didn't turn red so easily. "I was admiring it and your hat earlier today." She saw now that the woman wasn't wearing her hat, but she figured she had taken it off since the sun had gone down. The Russian woman's reaction surprised her though, because she sat up straighter as her dark blue eyes flew open in surprise, and then turned to her husband.

Catherine and Nick had spent all afternoon in Jarrod's office, making love twice and taking a nap in between. Nick had helped her back into her clothes, and they had arrived at the fairgrounds at the same time as Jarrod and Victoria. She could see exactly where her hat, parasol, and gloves were, on the credenza in the lawyer's office.

Jarrod had watched Nick and Catherine walk up to them, and even if he'd not heard what he had he would have known what the couple had been doing. His brother had a sleek, satisfied air that reminded him of a lion that had just had a steak and a nice nap. Catherine was glowing with pink cheeks, and bright eyes, while she had a soft, contented look about her. It had taken everything he had to greet them normally. Now, hearing the reference to her hat, he became aware that she wasn't wearing the elaborate creation.

Nick saw his wife's distress, as she realized where her hat probably was. He wanted to kick himself for not thinking of it, but it had been so much fun to dress her, touching her everywhere as he did so, that it had slipped his mind. Thinking quickly, he came up with an explanation to give Jarrod, about why her hat was in his office.

"Katarina, I think you left it in Jarrod's office." Nick started, and reached over to squeeze her fingers in reassurance, before he turned to his brother "We stopped by the office because I wanted to show her, on the map you have, where some of the battles in the civil war were fought."

She understood what he was doing, and smiled at everyone "I was very curious about the army units that marched in the parade. I'm not familiar with that period of America's history." Katarina's lilting voice sounded very convincing, and Jarrod decided that while she wasn't in Samantha's class, she was good actress.

The conversation flowed about the day's events for the next couple of minutes, with Nick goading Heath to admit that he'd been wrong about Rumrunner. Susannah found his voice to be loud, and schooled herself not to jump when he would make some booming remark. She saw that he held his wife's hand the entire time, as she listened proudly to what he was saying.

"I think the line has gone down some, so why don't we go get some food." Jarrod observed, and then offered to the women "May we bring you lovely ladies some food?" Victoria and Catherine nodded their heads, so Jarrod and Nick stood up. Heath stood up also, and looked expectantly at Susannah, while the other men started walking to the food line.

"Susannah, would you like to come to get something to eat?" Heath asked, not being sure what she liked, and not seeing why she couldn't get her own food anyway. He noticed her start to stand up, but Catherine stopped her.

"Nonsense Heath, she doesn't need to stand in that line! She can stay here and visit with us, which will be more comfortable." The lilting accent floated prettily in the air, and Susannah looked from Catherine to Heath, not sure what to do. Heath nodded his head and said that he'd get her some food, before he went to join his brothers.

Jarrod used the opportunity of having Nick alone to pull his chain some. "Brother Nick, just so you know I haven't had the map on my wall for several months now. Obviously, whatever you were looking at, it didn't involve civil war history. Don't worry though; when I return Catherine's hat to her I won't say word!" He delivered the words with a knowing look, and watched as Nick burst into a big grin.

"Older brother, you are just jealous!" Nick was laughing, and Jarrod had to admit some truth in what he'd said. As he agreed with his middle brother Heath came up to them.

"Ok, what did I miss?" Heath asked with concern, as he regarded his brothers.

"I was just commenting on Nick's interest in civil war history. Very admirable of him!" Jarrod proclaimed, with a smile.

Heath nodded his head knowingly "You know, I was wondering about that Nick, since Jarrod took the map down several months ago, and replaced it with the picture Audra brought him from back east." He now knew what Nick had been doing all afternoon, and his guess had been right, about it involving Catherine.

Heath was struck, and slightly uncomfortable, as he thought about his brother's sex life. It came to him that Nick was having more sex, more often, than he'd ever had before for, and in the most unlikely places. It was giving him a new appreciation for married life. Heath noticed that Nick was all set to fire off a rejoinder when a friend of theirs walked up to them, forcing a change of subject. He followed his brothers to the food line, hoping that Susannah would like what he brought back to her.

Meanwhile, Victoria and Catherine had been trying to talk to the young woman about the day's event, but it was heavy going. Susannah knew that she was coming off rather bad, but two volunteers had not shown up to help with prep work for the lunch, so she had pitched in. She had felt lucky enough to watch the race that Heath had taken second place to this brother.

Catherine had tried to bring horses into the conversation, but soon saw that Susannah was not a horsewoman. Victoria mentioned a novel she was reading, while Catherine said she had read another of the author's books. It turned out that Susannah did not read novels because her mother thought they were improper; only the bible was read in their house. She did offer up that her father read the newspaper, and was working on Homer in the original Greek.

That comment switched the conversation to languages, which Susannah did know something about. She was impressed that Catherine knew five, and laughed at her story that while the workers on the ranch all spoke Spanish, it wasn't the Spanish she spoke. Victoria was telling a funny story about how the dialects were different, when the men came back with the food.

Heath saw, as he walked up, that Susannah looked relaxed, and was laughing at something his mother had said. It made him feel better, and he gave her a big smile as he brought their food over to her. He sat down, and turned to pass her the plate of food.

"I think old Macgregor as outdone himself this year! The meat is practically falling off the carcass! I wish he would give me his recipe!" Nick announced in his loud voice, sitting down and swinging his long legs around.

Susannah had reached out to take the plate of food, feeling happy that Heath was back. She had just put the plate on the table when the sound of Nick's voice, booming across the table startled her, causing her to twitch. Heath felt her tense up, and inwardly sighed at her reaction. He had never come across a woman as jumpy as she was. His concern grew when he saw her studying her plate with narrowed eyes.

"I hope you like it, Susannah. It is beef with a special sauce the grill master makes every year. Nick has offered him everything, and the man won't divulge the secret." Heath told her, trying to keep his voice light. He had also put some potatoes, green beans, and cornbread on her plate. In fact she was trying to figure out how she was supposed to eat all the food in front of her. Susannah saw how concerned Heath was looking, and felt ashamed at her reaction of not being grateful.

"I'm sure that it is very good." Susannah managed to say, as she picked up her fork and took a bite. The meat was very tender, and the sauce not too spicy. Heath relaxed when he saw her eating. He was hoping that maybe she would calm down if she had some food in her.

"Jarrod, don't forget the wine!" Nick reminded his brother, and Susannah forgot to be startled by his voice because of what he'd just said. She watched as Jarrod reached down, and from a basket under the table brought out several bottles and some glasses. He opened the bottles, and then passed them to Nick, who filled the glasses and passed them around to the table.

Susannah was stunned that alcohol was going to be served, and that she was expected to drink some. Her mother had educated her about the evils of alcohol, regarding it as the devil's drink. She watched as Nick passed glasses to his wife and mother, before giving her one. Catherine picked up the glass and after swirling the dark red liquid around, sniffed it.

"This is from the vineyard that Nick runs on the ranch, Susannah." Catherine explained as she saw the young woman looking at her in puzzlement. She turned to her husband and commented "It has a nice bouquet to it; I'm sure it will go well with the meat."

Nick had finished pouring by the time she'd made her remark, and he reached over and kissed her on the forehead. Susannah was surprised that he would let his wife drink wine, because she knew that while men would sometimes have a drink, a lady never did. She decided that maybe it was that Catherine was foreign and didn't know any better. Whatever the explanation she was glad that her mother wasn't here to see it.

It was then time to drink the wine, and Susannah didn't want to be impolite. She copied the movement of everyone lifting their glasses to touch, before they all took a sip. For her part she brought the glass up to her lips, but kept them closed, and only pretended to swallow. Susannah couldn't believe that Victoria was also drinking the wine, and then making knowledgeable comments about the taste.

Jarrod, Nick, and Catherine all weighed in with their opinions, while Heath commented that he didn't know enough about wine to have an opinion. That made Susannah happy, glad to know that Heath wasn't much of a drinker. She was thinking about the other things she liked about the man sitting next to her, so didn't hear that she was being addressed.

"Susannah, Susannah?" Catherine reached across the table with her left hand, to lightly touch the girl's hand; "What do you think of the wine?" She wanted to try to draw Heath's friend into the conversation, so she didn't feel left out.

"Oh, I don't know anything about wine, but the color is beautiful." Susannah didn't want to admit that she had not even tried it, but thought the deep red was striking. She wanted to change the conversation away from the wine, and happened to look down at Catherine's white hand that was resting on hers. It was very soft, she thought, and then she noticed what was on the third finger. Two bands, one with diamonds in pale metal that glowed, rather than gleamed, the other a plain gold band encircled her ring finger.

"What lovely rings, Catherine." Susannah exclaimed, thinking they were wedding bands, but wondering why she had two of them. Heath's sister-in-law smiled with pleasure at the compliment, tilting her head slightly as she said thank you.

"When Nicholas and I married in New Archangel there wasn't a jewelry store, so we used my mother's wedding band. After we arrived in California Nick had a band made for me, from a nugget of gold that had come from one of the Barkley mines." Catherine offered as she gave her husband a loving look.

Jarrod heard the story, and gave Nick an approving glance. Their father had each given them a nugget, from one of the family mines to use for rings for their wives, when the time came. Jarrod sighed slightly as he remembered that he and Beth had not been married long enough for him to have one made for her. He then realized that the sad feeling only lasted for a bit, and it was more regret than sadness. It made his heart feel like a tight band had been removed from the organ, and he wondered what had changed.

Putting that thought aside for later, he thought about those nuggets their father had given them, and Heath. He had never received one for obvious reasons, and Jarrod decided that he would get one for his younger brother. That made him think about Heath getting married, and wondering if he was serious about the girl sitting next to him. Jarrod studied her discretely, trying to see what, if anything his brother saw in her. His younger brother had a soft heart, and would go out of his way to help people and animals. It made him wonder if he was just being kind to the young woman, because from what Jarrod was seeing they didn't act like a couple.

Or, he corrected himself, a happy couple. Susannah looked like she would have preferred to be somewhere else, from the tension in her shoulders and the wariness in her eyes. Jarrod had noticed that Nick's voice caused her to almost wince too. The lawyer didn't think that Heath acted like a man in love, rather more a dog trying to herd a stray lamb.

His musings on Heath were broken by Catherine asking him about his recent trip to San Francisco. Jarrod didn't mention Samantha's name, but did talk about the production he'd seen of Macbeth. That moved the conversation on to the subject of the theater, and other versions of Macbeth people had seen. They then brought up other plays they' seen, with Catherine lamenting the fact that so many good dramas were only done in Russian.

Susannah let the conversation whirl around her, not being able to join in, since she'd never been to the theater. Her mother had taught her that actresses were fallen women, and that theater folk were all immoral. She was struggling with the whole evening, trying to absorb and understand what she was seeing.

The Barkley's were, by her mother's, and her religion, immoral people and should be avoided. However, Susannah had seen how they were held in high regard by everyone in the valley. It bothered her too that Heath admired his sister-in-law so much, even though she drank, read novels, and went to the theater on a regular basis.

She had noticed that Heath had drunk his glass of wine, and let Jarrod refill it too, while talking about a play he'd seen on a recent trip to Carson City, in Nevada. He was so casual about it, like it was an everyday occurrence. Susannah felt very out of place in the group, and she really wished that Nick could talk in a normal voice. How did his wife stand it, she pondered at the back of her mind, as she took a sip of her wine without realizing it.

The dark red liquid felt heavy, and slightly bitter as it went down her throat, but then she tasted a slight fruitiness. She was amazed at how warm it made her feel and that God had not struck her dead. Susannah wondered if this was one of those tests the bible talked about, and if so she was failing badly. Stiffening her spine she sat up slightly straighter as she wanted to make sure she was not laid astray.

"What an incredible amount of food! It is rather scary to think that there is still dessert to eat!" Catherine announced, during a lull in the conversation. She looked over at Susannah, having noticed that the young woman had not participated in the theater discussion at all.

A thought came to her and she commented "Susannah, did I see you helping with lunch? The food was very delicious; do you cook?" She was hoping that this topic would give the young woman something to talk about.

"Yes, I did help out, and I know how to cook, of course." Susannah answered in an almost aggrieved tone; she couldn't fathom why Catherine was asking such a stupid question. Just because she didn't know about the theater didn't mean she was stupid, for heaven sakes! Victoria heard the note in Susannah's voice, and was sure that everyone else had too. She felt bad for Catherine, who had only been trying to make conversation with the young woman.

"Well I have no domestic skills at all, so I admire those who do know how to cook. I'd never even been in a kitchen until I came to the ranch." Catherine had decided not to take offense at the tone that Susannah had answered her in, just being glad the woman was talking. Victoria gave her a sympathetic glance, for her efforts.

Heath had been very surprised when Susannah had answered Catherine the way she had, but he was relieved that his sister-in-law was as polite as she was. He did find her comment interesting though as he asked "Really, you'd never been in a kitchen before?" Susannah was glad that Heath had asked, because she had been all set to, but decided it sounded better coming from him.

"I would be too scared to see what kitchens in Russia are like; I'm afraid the standard of cleanliness would probably leave something to be desired. Ignorance is bliss sometimes!" Catherine explained in a merry voice, as she continued "In English households there is a rigid hierarchy between the employers and the servants. The servants, especially the cook, didn't like visitors as I was told, so you never went down there."

Nick had not been pleased at how Susannah had responded to the question that Katarina had asked her, as she had tried to make conversation. The scared filly, which is how Nick thought of her, had done nothing all evening but look tense and/or unhappy. He didn't understand how Heath could enjoy spending time with someone who was probably afraid of her own shadow. Nick also thought that Katarina should not have to be trying to placate Heath's date. The day had been hard enough, with her being homesick earlier. He was looking forward to getting her home, and maybe having her take a relaxing bath before they went to bed.

Jarrod, sitting next to Nick, had sensed the annoyance his brother was feeling right away. He then felt the man calm down slightly, and saw that Catherine had placed her hand on his thigh, discretely under the table. Only he could see it because he was next to the couple, but he comprehended what his sister-in-law was doing. Susannah was, from what he could see, a rather tiresome dinner guest that needed to be accommodated. Catherine, having been trained to be a great hostess, was doing her best to make the table work, and Jarrod admired her for it.

He attended a number of dinner parties, and knew that a skillful hostess was the difference between a tolerable evening, and a great one. It was a fine balancing act, to be attentive to important people, while making nobodies feel valued too. Jarrod wasn't sure if Nick was annoyed that Catherine was playing peacemaker, or just getting tired of how Susannah almost jumped every time he said something.

On a personal level he didn't blame Nick for his feelings, because Susannah had added nothing to the evening. However, he thought Catherine deserved some help in her efforts, so he asked his brother if he was ready for a cigar. Jarrod had also brought a bottle of brandy, which he told Nick about, who smiled gratefully. He knew better than to offer his middle brother one of his cigars, since they had different tastes in tobacco, and Jarrod knew that Nick had some of his cigars with him.

Susannah had no problem figuring out that she had said something wrong, but wasn't sure what. She had never met a woman who didn't know how to cook, and had regarded the question as inane. Catherine's story of kitchens had mollified her a bit, but she sensed that Nick was put off by her. What she saw when she glanced across the table though made her forget the cooking question.

She couldn't believe it as Jarrod and Nick brought out cigars, and offered one to Heath, who thank goodness turned them down. Her mother had taught her that tobacco was the devil's agent, and needed to be fought vigilantly. She had felt very grown up when her mother had told her how her father had first smoked when they were together, until she had broken him of the habit.

Susannah watched as the two men lit their cigars, while Catherine sat right next to Nick as he puffed on the noxious stick. She also observed that Victoria, sitting across from the men did nothing to stop them. However, what happened next made her think of what her mother had said about Catherine being badly brought up.

Nick was holding his cigar in his right hand, as he took a deep draw on it, before he put his left arm around his wife's shoulders. Catherine happily snuggled up against him, not caring about the cloud of smoke that the man exhaled. Susannah was shocked at how any decent woman would let a man carry on like that, in front of them.

Heath happened to turn to say something to Susannah just then, and saw the look of disapproval she had on her face as she regarded Nick and Catherine. He was taken aback, because the couple was doing nothing more than sitting close together. Nick did have his arm around her, but Heath didn't register anything about that, because his brother was always touching his wife. From what Heath had seen of Catherine she had no problems with Nick's behavior towards her. He sighed heavily, starting to wonder about a relationship with Susannah.

He had also been aware of Jarrod earlier, and Nick just a bit ago observing Susannah. He had no problems picking up, from Nick's body language, that his middle brother was not pleased with the young woman. It had probably had something to do with Catherine, and her story, Heath mused.

From where Heath was sitting, it only sounded like Catherine was being kind to Susannah, which he appreciated. He didn't understand why Nick would be annoyed with her efforts, unless, he thought unkindly; it meant attention away from him. The minute Heath thought that he felt sorrowful that he was thinking that way. It came to him that he really had needed to talk to Nick before today, about whatever had gone on at the tea party.

Katarina had been thrilled when Jarrod had suggested a cigar to Nick, knowing her husband was annoyed with Susannah. She didn't blame him one bit, because she was getting tired of trying to include the woman in the conversation at the table. She wondered again what Heath saw in the woman, and how they had even managed to come together in the first place.

Nick, by the third puff on his cigar, and several sips of brandy was feeling much happier. Katarina picked up on that when he slid his arm around her shoulders, allowing her cuddle close to him. He felt so good, hard, and strong against her, as she moved as close as possible against him. Nick felt her response to him, and smiled contentedly. Life was good, he thought, and he was going to focus on his wife the rest of the evening. Heath's date wasn't their problem, and he should be the one making conversation with her.

The rest of the evening passed quickly, ending with brilliant fireworks that caused all three Barkley brothers to reflect on their lives. When Nick thought about his life a year ago, just coming off of the debacle that was Hester, he almost cringed. However, he saw that everything happened for a reason and he was sure that the experience made him appreciate Katarina all the more. Nick had almost given up hope that he would ever have a love like he had now. The fireworks were a fitting celebration of that he mused, as he whispered in his wife's ear what he was going to do to her when they arrived home, to set off fireworks inside her.

Jarrod observed the display and decided that it symbolized the starting of a new phase in his life. He had carried around an underlying sadness for the last two years, because of Beth. It had kept him from fully participating in the world, as he struggled with his grief. He knew his wife would not have wanted him to mourn her for that long, because she had been a joyous person. The world was now offering him something new, what he didn't know, but he was going to embrace it wherever it took him.

Heath came to the conclusion that he was cursed by the 4th of July, because of women. Two years ago he had won Maria Montero's affection on the day, only to have it quashed by her father. Last year he and Nick were still patching up their relationship because of Hester and her actions. Now, this year was not going well, because of Susannah. Heath wasn't sure if it was her reaction to his family, or his family's reaction to her, but all he knew was that dinner had not been pleasurable.

The look of disapproval on Susannah's face as she had watched Nick and Catherine, her lack of conversation during the meal, and even the way she wouldn't greet people weighed on his mind. Heath wished that she wasn't so shy, and that everyone could see how kind and gentle she was. It hurt him that he'd found a woman he was comfortable with, but no one else was with her. Susannah also, he had seen, did not like groups of people either. Watching a dazzling silver rocket explode in the sky he pondered what to do.


	31. Chapter 31

_**Author's Note: I have no idea of the history of the beautiful botanic gardens of San Francisco. I am incorporating it into my story because I love it so much, and it flows with my narrative.**_

_**San Francisco in July**_

Jarrod had returned to the city the day after the 4th with great eagerness. A large part of it was Samantha, of course, but he was honest enough to admit that dinner on the holiday had not been something he would want to repeat. The following morning Heath had not come to breakfast, which Jarrod was almost glad about.

He had spent some time, while getting ready for bed, debating about whether he should talk to Heath about Susannah. His brother was a man, and entitled to run his love life as he saw fit, and Jarrod didn't think it was his place to say anything. He then contradicted himself, thinking that since Heath was bringing her to family functions, he should say something. Jarrod was usually not at a loss for knowing what to do, but this situation had him in a corner.

Nick, seeing that Heath was not at the table, had commented that if it was any other woman he would assume that their brother was having a good night. Victoria, who was at the table with Audra, shushed him with a glare, adding 'we don't need to talk behind Heath's back'. That left Jarrod feeling that Victoria had not been pleased with the evening; he already knew Nick's feelings from his body language at the table. It would have been interesting to hear Catherine's comments, but she didn't come down to breakfast, preferring to eat in her room. Considering how things were this morning he was rather envious of her.

The first day back in the city was spent catching up with work, and finalizing plans for his date with Samantha the next day. Jarrod had sent her a note detailing what time he would pick her up, and received one in return from her. She also included a note from the blackmailer that had come when she was in Los Angeles. Jarrod met with the retired Pinkterton man that afternoon, and showed him the new note.

Both men were puzzled because the note was almost identical to the others, and yielded no information. Harris, the retired detective gave him his report, which concluded with the comment that Miss St. Claire did not have any known enemies. She was well liked by her co-workers, and there were no love affairs in her background. Jarrod was happy about that last tidbit of information, because it confirmed what Samantha had told him. He had wanted to believe her, but knew that clients lied to their lawyers all the time.

Jarrod presented himself at her house, a tall narrow row house on Russian Hill, the next day, with a small bunch of flowers for her. Piers, the older Negro gentleman who had come to his office let him, and greeted him kindly. He was saying hello to the man when he heard a rustle from the top of white painted staircase. Turning around he saw Samantha coming down the stairs.

She was dressed in butter yellow polished cotton dress that was ornamented with cream colored satin ribbon trim, and small bunches of lilies of the valley, offset with dark green leaves. Her large picture hat was cream colored chiffon, yellow silk ribbon, and more bunches of the tiny white flowers with green leaves. The dress had an elaborate bustle on it, and the whole outfit reminded him of something Catherine would wear.

"Samantha, may I say how lovely you look? You will put the flowers at the botanic gardens to shame." Jarrod declared, bowing slightly as she came down the stairs. He handed her the flowers with a flourish, which she took with her cream colored leather gloved hands.

"Jarrod, you didn't need to bring flowers, but thank you!" She flashed him a charming smile, as she smelled the flowers. Piers took them, and excused himself to go get a vase. They chatted for several minutes, and then Jarrod escorted her out to the waiting carriage. Once inside he gave the driver the address and set off.

It was hard to sit next to her, because of her large hat. Samantha tilted her head to help him, adding "The hat is supposed to protect from the sun, but rather large in close quarters." She had a musical laugh, which enchanted him. It also made him think of the 4th of July and Catherine's hat. Jarrod had brought it, along with her parasol and gloves home the next day, and left them with Silas. He wasn't sure he could have returned them to her with a straight face.

"Jarrod, what is so funny? You look like you are thinking about a private joke?" Samantha asked, having noticed the amused smile on his face. She watched as his aquamarine eyes twinkled slightly.

"Oh, it is something that happened with my sister-in-law on the 4th of July." He replied, wanting to share the story with her, because it was entertaining, and he liked the idea of having someone to laugh about it with. He hesitated, but then her next remark made him decide she wouldn't be shocked by it.

"Ah, the beautiful Russian princess that your brother is keeping prisoner on the ranch? There for a while she was a bigger subject of conversation than I was! Several men are very upset that she is not gracing the summer season." Samantha offered up, a merry look in her eyes.

"Well, between you and me, I'm not sure who is keeping who prisoner, but they are very happy!" Jarrod chuckled, and then told her the story of his office, Nick's comment about the map, and Catherine's hat. He liked how she laughed honestly, being able to enjoy his humor.

"So the arranged marriage turned into a love match? Those are kind of stories I like, and I am very happy for them." Samantha responded after her laughter stopped, before she added "Most of my acting roles are tragedies, so I appreciate a good love story."

Jarrod saw, for the briefest moment, a touch of sadness in her eyes, and wished he could wipe it away. He wondered how long she'd been married for, before her husband was killed. Samantha had already told him that she'd not been in love with Peter, which made him happy in a way he didn't understand. Jarrod decided to change the subject, and asked her about Los Angeles, which occupied the rest of the drive to the botanic gardens.

Senator Wayne Hutchins, Lt. Governor Edward McClain, State Representative James Pell, and San Francisco councilman Mark Foster, along with the usual retinue and hangers on were standing outside the elaborate greenhouse of the botanical gardens. They were all dressed in summer weight suits, in light colors, despite the fact that today was only a balmy 50 degrees.

Mark Twain would later remark that the coldest winter he ever endured was summer in San Francisco. However, they weather did not stop the fashionable set from following the customs of their east coast counterparts. All but one did not belong to the same political party as the mayor, but San Francisco was a lot more fun than Sacramento, and this fundraiser gave them the excuse to avoid the capital city.

"Wayne, I heard you and James were in Stockton for the 4th of July!" Edward McClain declared, more to make conversation than anything else. He was sure it would get a response, and he wasn't disappointed.

"I also heard that you were almost punched out by Nick Barkley for paying too much attention to his wife!" Councilman Foster did not care for Wayne Hutchins. The senator was from Los Angeles, and was always trying to make that city the larger port than San Francisco. He added salt to the wound as he went on "Yea, he came up stomping his boots, jingling his spurs, as he swept her away I heard!"

"Bad tempered bastard!" Wayne Hutchins almost snarled, thinking about how he'd been hoping for a picture of him with the niece of the governor-general of the territory that America had just bought for pennies on the dollar. It would have been a corner piece of his re-election campaign.

"She is his wife after all, and there is nothing wrong with a man who wants his wife all to himself." The lt. governor played peacemaker, not blaming Barkley for how he had acted. Edward McClain had seen the beautiful princess at breakfast, in the hotel dining room, back when she had first arrived in the city.

"I have heard that she never goes anywhere alone! If Nick Barkley isn't with her, he has a Mexican who was a hired gun for Don Sanchez accompany her!" James Pell had privately enjoyed watching the pompous senator being put in his place by Nick, an old poker playing buddy of his.

"Hmm, Don Sanchez, another bad tempered bastard!" Wayne Hutchins, because of being from southern California had had more dealings with the arrogant nobleman that he would have cared for. Diego Sanchez's father was a duke back in Spain, and the man had been educated at Oxford in England. He was the second son, and after a stint with the army had been sent out to California to manage the family holdings. Don Sanchez knew the legal system better than Wayne Hutchins, and used it to his advantage.

"Well I don't blame Barkley one bit for protecting his wife; she is certainly worth protecting!" Edward McClain declared, thinking about how beautiful the woman was. If she had been his wife he would be acting exactly like Nick was.

"It didn't matter, because Jarrod Barkley took us all to the Cattlemen's hotel and bought us several rounds of drinks! He is a man who doesn't stint when entertaining!" Wayne switched to politician mode, not wanting to offend the Barkley's. It was because of their help in the valley that he had been elected in the first place.

"You know, I feel rather bad for Jarrod Barkley!" Councilman Foster announced, and the assembled gentlemen looked at him with interest. "Didn't you know? He was supposed to go to Alaska, to purchase that land grant!" The men all had surprised looks on their faces, as the San Francisco native shared his knowledge.

"Wait a minute, are you saying that Jarrod could have ended up married to the princess?" Lt. Governor Edward McClain was almost hyperventilating at the thought. He knew that the governor had really wanted Jarrod in the position of his second in charge. However, the lawyer had declined, on the grounds that he was still in mourning for his late wife. The thought that his rival could have ended up with the well connected, well educated princess for his wife was enough to make him almost hyperventilate.

Councilman Mark Foster was the grandson of a New England whaling man who had sailed a ship into San Francisco bay in the early 1800's. The man was the third son, and soon saw that it was better to be the senior member of an old New England family in California, than a younger son back in Massachusetts. The Foster's had been major players in the city's politics ever since.

"Both the Barkley's and the Crocker's needed the Spanish land grant that the Russian governor-general owned. The man sold it to the Barkley's, but insisted it be picked up in person; turns out because he wanted an American husband for his niece. Jarrod decided to take the Peterson case, if you remember, and sent his brother instead." Mark told the story, adding a few previously unknown details.

"Didn't he lose the Peterson case? And then didn't get the princess? Damn, did he have a bad spring!" Edward McClain tried to sound sympathetic, but the men all knew he didn't mean it. Before he could enjoy the thought of Jarrod miserable though, Foster's laughter rang in his ear.

"Hell, he might have had a bad spring, but he is having a wonderful summer!" The councilman declared, looking over to his right, as the group did the same. Mark was sure that the look on the lt. governor's face would be the highlight of the afternoon.

"Fuck it all that is Samantha St. Claire he is with! I spent months wooing her, sending her gifts; hell the diamond necklace I sent her was priceless. She returned them all, and wouldn't receive me." Edward McClain seethed, while the rest of the men watched Jarrod escort the beautiful actress.

"Jarrod, I do believe we are the center of attention." Samantha observed coolly, as they walked across the grass to greet the mayor and his wife. She was especially aware of the lt. governor staring at her, as he stood with a group of political men.

"That is the idea, Samantha, so please act like you are happy to be with me." He bent his head slightly, to whisper in her ear. To the people watching it looked almost like he was kissing her, which he wished he was. Samantha wanted to say that she wouldn't need to act happy, because she was happy to be with him.

The afternoon passed pleasantly, and she was pleased to see that Jarrod was the perfect escort. He didn't leave her side for very long, and was attentive to her every need. Samantha enjoyed the way he would sometimes put his hand on her back, as they were talking to various people, feeling it's warmth through her layers of clothes. It had also been fun to greet Edward McClain, as Jarrod stood very close to her, sending her ex-admirer a very clear message.

Everyone at the garden party was agog that Jarrod was escorting the well known actress, and from the way he was behaving with her, it was clear that he was done mourning for his dead wife. Most people were glad for the couple, admiring how striking they looked together. The exceptions were the lt. governor for obvious reasons, and the mayor. The mayor liked Jarrod, and was impressed that the man had caught the attention of Samantha St. Claire. No, his issue was that no one paid any attention to his speech; since they were too busy watching the couple.

It was a week later, and Jarrod was having dinner with Samantha at a new restaurant that had a lovely view of the harbor. This was their fourth outing, and he was thrilled with how well his plan was working. The couple had been mentioned in several gossip columns, and their 'relationship' was the talk of San Francisco. He was also in a good mood because of several letters he had received from his family.

"Jarrod, you seem in very good spirits for a man who is getting far more attention than I would imagine you like." Samantha quizzed him, privately finding it hard to believe that he really wanted to be mentioned in gossip columns. By now she knew that he was a very serious minded man, who cared deeply about other people, and his family. He believed in justice and fair play for all, and was willing to fight for his principles.

"Ah, but the purpose of the plan is to draw the blackmailer out, so we need that attention. Trust me; I'm sure you will be getting another missive from him any day now." Jarrod paused to take a sip of his drink, and then explained the other reason he was happy. "I've had a letter from my sister, with good news in it, about our brother Heath."

Samantha tilted her head, as she asked "That is your younger brother right?" Jarrod had told her the story of Heath's parents on their second date. He had also talked about his wife, and their brief marriage, finding it very easy to talk to her.

"Yes, he is and I was a little concerned about him and this woman that he was interested in. However, from what my sister says he is not pursuing her anymore." Jarrod went on to explain about the dinner and Susannah's behavior at the table. He also told her about the woman's response to Catherine's question, and Nick's feelings on the matter.

"Jarrod, from what you have just told me I think it is for the best that your brother is not seeing her anymore. She sounds rather needy and self-centered; is she pretty?" Samantha wondered how if Heath was anything like Jarrod, and what she'd heard about Nick, why he would want a woman like Susannah.

"Not bad looking, pretty in a soft, plain kind of way. Nick refers to her as a scared filly, but Heath has a soft heart for lost creatures and souls. I guess that is some of the appeal." Jarrod answered her question, wondering also what the attraction was for Heath. The reference to Nick reminded him of something else.

"Samantha, would you like to meet Nick and Catherine in a couple of weeks?" He inquired, and noticed her look of surprise.

"You want to introduce me to your family?" She was taken aback that he would let her into his personal life like that. The mention of a couple of weeks intrigued her too, as she realized that she had not thought their relationship would last that long.

"If we are to convince the blackmailer that I am serious about you, it would make sense for you to meet my family if they come to town." Jarrod paused, and then "I guess that Catherine is homesick, so they are coming to town so she can eat Russian food, and go to the cathedral. Also, Nick wants to go the Marie Louise, to gamble. He has invited me along, and I thought that if you came it would be company for Catherine. I think you two would get along very well."

Samantha felt happiness well up inside her, as he reached across the table to hold her hand as he talked to her. She knew that she shouldn't feel the way she was, but his warm, strong hand, was sending shivers up her arm. It came to her that she wished it wasn't play acting between her and Jarrod.

He was delighted when she agreed to meet Nick and Catherine, and was honest enough to admit to himself that flushing out the blackmailer was not the reason why. Jarrod had reached across to take her hand instinctively, and then wondered if he should not have. He had noticed that she didn't mind when he touched her without thinking, as a man would to a woman he was attracted to. At the back of his mind he was concerned on how it was all going end.

The couple didn't know it, but they had been followed to the restaurant by a figure dressed in black and grey, the better to blend into the foggy streets of the city. He could see Samantha and Jarrod holding hands because they were sitting by a window. Her actions made him grind his teeth, and swear again the revenge he would have.


	32. Chapter 32

_**Stockton in July**_

It was late July and Heath was driving over to Susannah's house on a Saturday morning. They were going to go on a picnic together, which he was looking forward to. Heath was surprised by how excited he was at the idea; because he had originally planned on breaking it off with her after the 4th of July affair.

When he had taken Susannah home her father had been waiting, which had been a relief. Heath had been wondering about kissing her, but didn't know how it would be received. After the way she had behaved most of the evening he was just glad to say good night to her. On the way home, and lying in bed after he'd arrived home, he had replayed the evening in his mind.

His family had been nothing but kind to her, with his mother and Catherine going out of their way to make her feel comfortable. Heath remembered how relaxed Susannah had seemed when she was just talking to the women. It was only when his brothers were around that she became tense and nervous. Part of him wanted to put her behavior down to being an only child, but that still didn't excuse how she'd looked at Nick and Catherine.

Heath was also concerned about how shy she was, and the fact that she didn't look people in the eye when they talked to her. He had always been very conscious of that when people did it to him, thinking it was rude of them. Those thoughts were balanced with how kind and gentle she was when it was just the two of them, and how she seemed to understand what he wanted out of life.

Most of the night had been spent tossing and turning, thinking those thoughts. Heath didn't want to face his family at breakfast, so he went straight out to the range, where some strays needed to be rounded up. His plan was to get Nick alone, and see what his brother had to say about the situation. Unfortunately, he had a sinking sensation in his heart that he knew what the man was going to say.

They had finally talked at midday, and the conversation was almost what he'd thought it would be. Nick told him he was a damn idiot for spending time with a woman that nervous. He also told Heath that he'd not appreciated how Susannah had answered Catherine's question, or how she had acted. He finished up with the comment that while the woman might fill some private need of Heath's, he should not bring her to a family event again.

Heath was not surprised at his brother's opinion of Susannah, and his protectiveness of the family. Nick didn't tolerate any signs of disloyalty, and Heath knew that Susannah had raised his brother's defenses. He also remembered what Audra had said, after the tea party, that she didn't think Heath and Susannah had a lot in common. By the end of the day he had made the decision not to pursue Susannah, knowing it would make his family, and her mother, happy. Heath just wished the decision made him happy.

However, two things changed his mind, both coming on the heels of each other. Not quite a week after the holiday Susannah's mother passed away. She had not recovered from being sick on the 4th, and it had been downhill from there. Heath saw Susannah at the funeral, and had felt sad for the girl, knowing what it was like to lose your mother.

They had talked for several minutes about loss, and even though it was a sad occasion it still felt good to spend time with her. It reminded him of how he had been attracted to her in the first place, and made him wish things were different between them. Heath hadn't realized it at the time, but that had been the 'thin edge of the wedge' that would make him reconsider his decision to break it off with her.

The second incident was the one that completely overturned his earlier decision, and it involved Maria Montero. Heath thought it rather ironic that both women had affected him, in different ways, on the 4th of July. Catherine had been over having lunch with the ladies of one of the old Spanish families. While the male members of the families would go into town, the ladies kept to themselves and their closed circle.

Catherine though, being European and a titled aristocrat had been welcomed into their homes with open arms. Audra had been bothered that she wasn't included, and had not been mollified when Victoria had told her it was because she was too American and independent in her thinking. Heath, after his whole experience with Don Alfredo didn't see why anyone would want to associate with people like that.

His sister-in-law, at dinner that night, was recounting what she'd heard at lunch, and brought up Maria Montero's name. Of course Catherine didn't know Heath's history with the woman, or she might not have announced the news like she did. The gist was that Maria had married a Spanish count in Madrid, and she and her husband would be visiting Venezuela, where the count had business interests, and California, in the fall.

She had gone on to talk about the party Don Alfredo was planning, to introduce his new son-in-law to the valley. Heath had felt the bile rising in his throat, and excused himself from the table. Someone must have explained the story to Catherine, because she found him the next day, to apologize for what she'd said. He appreciated her efforts, and reassured that she had done nothing wrong.

Heath had been feeling lonely anyway, and hearing that Maria was married just intensified the feeling. Everyone but him had someone, it seemed; they had even heard rumors in Stockton that Jarrod was squiring around a well known actress. The talk sounded like he was very interested in her, leaving Heath wondering if he was going to have another sister-in-law before the end of the year. He was intrigued at the idea of his straight laced brother dating an actress, but Heath had been told that she was a serious, professional woman.

The day after he'd heard about Maria he was out riding on the north range, and thinking about his situation with Susannah. Heath had been missing her company, even before Catherine told him about Maria. He remembered how she had been able to relate to what he wanted out of life, as well as how gentle she was. It came to him that maybe he had been unfair to her, after the 4th of July dinner.

He had not given her a chance to explain why she had acted like she had, or what her opinion of the evening was. Heath now wondered if she had been aware her mother was sicker than she was letting on, and the stress of that had affected her behavior. No matter what the reason, he decided, he wanted to give her the chance to explain her side of the story.

Dropping by the school one afternoon he had talked to her about going somewhere, but she had explained that she was in mourning, and really couldn't go out. Susannah though did offer the idea of a picnic, which Heath seized on gratefully. The idea that they could talk in private, just the two of them, appealed to him.

When he had taken the two seater buggy from the stable he had been relieved that no one was around, to ask him why he was driving instead of riding. Of course it was Saturday, and most of the hands were in town, or with their families. Susannah had said she would take care of lunch for them, so he didn't have to bother Rachelle or Silas either. Heath really didn't want his family to know what he was doing.

He arrived at her house, and Dean Alderson answered the door. The older man, with a black armband, showed him into the stiff, front parlor. The furniture was plain wood, with no ornate carving, and covered in an ugly shade of green fabric. Heath couldn't imagine sitting on one of those chairs and putting his legs on the ugly wooden table that had some kind of dried flower arrangement on it. It wasn't fair to judge, he knew, but at the back of his mind he thought how different it was from where he lived now, or even the small house he'd grown up in.

Susannah came into the room just then, wearing a black skirt and a plain, cream colored blouse. The blouse had a simple round collar, and buttoned in the front. Her brown hair was pulled back in a severe bun, which emphasized her soft hazel eyes, and the freckles on her nose. Heath noticed that she wasn't wearing any jewelry, and for the first time noticed that her ears were not pierced. He was disappointed at how plainly she was dressed, and the almost ugliness of the clothes. As she smiled at him though, he remembered that she was in mourning for her mother.

They greeted each other, and then after talking with the Dean for several minutes, they left the house, with Heath carrying the picnic basket. Heath drove them to a secluded ridge at the edge of the ranch, with a pretty grove of trees. It offered a breathtaking view of that side of the ranch, and was one of his favorite spots. Susannah unpacked the food, and they ate while talking about their mothers.

Heath let Susannah do most of the talking, because of her recent loss. She though asked questions about Leah, and he enjoyed answering them. It had always felt awkward for him to talk about his mother to his other family members. No matter what mitigating circumstances, at the end of the day his mother had had an affair with Tom Barkley and he knew that the rest of the family did not want to hear about the woman their father had been involved with.

It was as they were eating dessert, some type of apple crumb bar that Heath brought up what he had wanted to talk to her about. The afternoon had been so pleasant, and he was happier than he'd been in a long time. Heath didn't want it to end, but felt like if they were to go any further they needed to clear the air.

"Susannah, we've never really had the chance to talk since the 4th of July. I want to say that I came away with the feeling that you didn't have a very good time." Heath hoped that putting it out there like that, would give her leeway to express her thoughts on the evening.

She heard his comment, and her heart fell, not wanting to think about that night again. Dinner had been so hard to get through, between the people who came up to their table, the wine that flowed non-stop, and the conversations that she had not been able to participate in.

"Heath, I'm not from your world! I grew up in a small town in New Hampshire, and no one drank wine or went to the theater. Everyone worked hard and kept to themselves; it was very different than what I saw that night." Susannah wanted to say the right thing, without offending Heath about Catherine. She had picked up that his brother was already offended, and as she thought that her pent-up feelings burst out.

"I might not know about a lot of things, but I didn't appreciate being asked a stupid question!" Susannah seethed as she thought about Catherine asking her if she could cook. Heath looked at her, and was taken aback by how she'd gone from apologetic to almost furious in the blink of an eye. He decided that she was probably still dealing with the grief from her mother's death.

"Susannah, I think you misread Catherine; she was only trying to make conversation with you. Honestly, she grew up in large houses with lots of servants." Heath wanted her to understand where his sister-in-law came from. "Nick took her up to our cabin, by the lake, for a week and he had to do all the cooking! He went hunting, and fishing and either cooked on the stove or over a campfire. Catherine herself declared that she was terrified to turn the stove on."

She looked at Heath, looking upset and distressed at the same time, and started to feel bad about her outburst. Susannah then had another thought "Nick doesn't care that she can't cook?" Her mother had raised her that a man wouldn't marry a woman if they couldn't cook.

Heath sighed again, and started to wonder if his family wasn't right about Susannah. He then noticed that she had turned away, but he saw sadness in her eyes before her movement. He thought about what she'd said, about what had gone on that evening, and discerned what some of the issue was.

"I am sorry that you were uncomfortable with what happened that evening, Susannah. You have to understand though that this is not the small town in New Hampshire anymore. It is pleasant to have wine with dinner, and watching a well done play is a form of art. Doesn't your father teach the classics at the academy? They were all plays and drama." Heath wanted her to see that the world was bigger than what she had seen of it so far.

"Mama told me all about drinking and plays; they are the devil's work! God doesn't approve of any of those things!" Susannah really had no defense for what he had just told her, but fell back on her rote learning. Her mother had beaten those principles into her on many occasions.

"Susannah, there is a lot I don't know about religion, but I don't believe that God is that narrow and vengeful. There is a verse in the bible that Jesus turned water into wine, for the wedding feast you know. I also know that men interpret God in different ways, and not always for the purest of reasons. Do you really believe that, or is it just what you have been taught?"

Heath saw her turn away again, and he pressed his case "Susannah, I enjoy spending time with you, and you understand me better than anyone else I've known in a long time. I can talk to you about things I can't with anyone else." He stopped, and saw her turn back to face him, puzzlement in her eyes.

"However, there is the issue that you don't seem to like, or approve of my family, friends, or lifestyle. I don't know what to make of it, and neither does my family." Heath stopped, hesitating about bringing up her behavior towards Catherine that night. He saw though that if he continued to see her, she would have to at some point deal with his brother and his wife.

"What do you mean your family?" Susannah suspected what he was talking about, but wanted to hear his version, or rather his family's version of what she'd done.

"Catherine had been nothing but pleasant and welcoming to you, Susannah. She went out of her way to try to involve you in the conversation, and your response was very rude." Heath sighed, thinking about his brother "Nick is very protective of our family, especially his wife who he loves very much. Not only did your response offend him, but so did the way you regarded him with disapproval when he put his arm around Catherine."

Susannah's eyes flew open, as she remembered exactly when that had happened. Heath's brothers had been smoking their cigars, and Catherine had not cared what her husband was doing. Didn't they understand about the evils of smoking?

"But, but, he and your brother were smoking right in front of us! And Catherine almost encouraged it by letting him put his arm around her while he was doing it!" She was shocked that Heath didn't see how improper the whole thing was. Heath for his part almost wanted to laugh that it was the smoking that had bothered her, not Nick's display of affection with his wife.

"Susannah, I guess you are not aware, but I smoke too. Occasionally cigars, but mostly cigarettes in my case. Most men smoke, and I do understand that some women don't care for the odor. However, it is a personal choice, and it is not polite to criticize people." Heath informed her, watching what her reaction was going to be.

She looked at him in total shock, as she processed what he had just said about him smoking. It had never occurred to her that he would do something like that. Her mother had lectured her repeatedly on how you should not associate with anyone who engages in that behavior. Susannah then reviewed everything he had told her today, as well as what she had observed at the dinner that night.

"Heath, you are right about it being wrong of me to be critical of your family. It was just all so different, and I've never really been around people other than my parents, and the kids I teach. I'm not very good at talking to strangers, or groups of people." Susannah explained hesitantly, not wanting to admit that her mother kept her very sequestered.

"Is that what you want for your life, Susannah? A tiny, hate filled life? I don't think God wants anyone to live like that." Heath knew she was very religious, and at the back of his mind thought not for the first time that religion caused more problems than it solved. Something that she had asked earlier came into his mind, and he decided to follow it.

"You asked about Nick not caring that Catherine doesn't cook?" Heath asked, and Susannah nodded her head. He went on "What Nick cares about is that she loves him, and accepts him just as he is. Catherine had never tried to change him, and has never been critical of him. In return, he loves her and accepts her for what she is too. He doesn't need her to cook, but he needs her love, and her friendship. That is really what any man wants."

Susannah thought about what Heath had just told her, and she wondered if he really was not slightly sorry that he had not married the Russian woman. "Heath, do you want someone like her?" She had to ask, feeling that if he was stripping her emotions raw, she could do the same to him.

"I don't want someone who needs a houseful of servants, Susannah. Nick is very proud of who he is, and what he has accomplished. It gives him satisfaction to be able to provide that for Catherine; but I'm not Nick. I want a simpler life, with some land of my own, and my own house to come home to. I want to feel welcomed, and appreciated. I also want someone who can share my life, my family, and friends." Heath expressed his feelings to her in a soft voice.

She couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes, as she considered what he had just told her about his desires. It all sound so straightforward, but so different from what her mother had taught her. She had lectured Susannah repeatedly about men and their shortcomings. A wife's duty was to keep her husband in line, and out of trouble.

What Heath was telling her was that a woman should let her husband do whatever he wanted, and support him. Susannah didn't know what to believe, but did know that she didn't want to lose Heath. She looked at the man across from her, with his soft blue eyes, and his tender voice. Heath had always listened to her, and solicited her opinion when no one else had.

Susannah felt like there were two people warring inside of her, for control of her soul. She was amazed at how scared she was of losing Heath, but didn't like the idea that he could mean losing her faith. If only there was some way to have both, she mused. Why couldn't he have the same faith that she did, she thought, before an idea came to her. Maybe she could pretend to go along with what he wanted, until they were married, and by then he would understand what faith was.

"Oh Heath, I'm sorry for how I've acted! You're right; I don't want a narrow, unhappy life. Will you help me to see things differently?" Susannah asked breathlessly, as tears started to fill her eyes. Heath saw how woebegone she was, and took her in his arms. He had been wondering what she was thinking when she had the contemplative look on her face, before it suddenly turned sad.

Heath saw pain and hurt in her eyes as she looked at him, and just wanted to make her feel better. Her pink lips were slightly parted, and he found himself leaning over to kiss her. He made it a point to keep it soft and gentle, even as a rush of desire pressed his body, making him want to pull her closer.

Susannah felt his lips on hers, smooth and insistent, as a feeling like nothing she had ever experienced before overcame her. It was almost too much for her to handle, and she found herself pulling back, even as one part of her had only wanted to get closer to him.

"Well, I think we should definitely do that again, Susannah." Heath revealed, as he watched her face. In fact he would have kissed her again, but some instinct told him not to push it right now. They had a little more talking to do.

"Susannah, can we go out a few times, and get to know each other a little better? This is not New England, and we don't go in for long periods of mourning. However, we can do low key stuff because I do understand how you feel." Heath offered, thinking that as she became more comfortable with him, and went out places, she would be less shy.

"Heath, what about your family? What are they going to say?" Susannah thought about his dark haired brother with the loud voice. She didn't think he was a man who liked to be crossed, and it was obvious that he would do anything for his wife. His brother was also loud and terrified her greatly.

"Let's cross that bridge when we come to it, ok? At the end of the day, I am my own man and will do what I want. I want to spend time with you, and see what develops for now." Heath temporized, not wanting to think about that issue right now. It was his life, and he deserved someone as much as his brothers did.

They talked a while longer, and Susannah agreed with his plan, feeling grateful that he would give her a second chance. Heath took her home, and kissed her goodbye, still making a point to keep it gentle. He drove home happier than he had been, but didn't understand the weird feeling he had in his gut.

Always before that feeling had warned him of trouble, but as he reviewed the afternoon nothing came to light. Heath had been surprised at how quickly her emotions changed, and he was concerned about his family. None of that though, in his mind, was the cause of the feeling that was clawing at his stomach. He decided that his plan of taking it slow with her, and seeing what happened was best.


	33. Chapter 33

_**San Francisco – Part One**_

"Highness, while you and Mr. Nicholas are out I will get all the information on the actress Mr. Jarrod is seeing, I promise." Nina followed her out of the bedroom into the sitting area of their hotel suite as she made her announcement. They had arrived earlier in the afternoon, and Katarina had recognized the suite right away from her last visit here.

She smiled as she thought about how different this visit was, than when Nick had brought her here, to explain to his family about their marriage. The train ride had also been very different, as she and Nick had made love in the bedroom of the railcar, where he had talked to her all those months ago. Katarina looked over at her handsome husband, and said a prayer of thanks for how it had all worked out.

"Nina, that really isn't necessary. I also don't like the idea of spying on Jarrod; Nicholas and I will be meeting her in three days time." Katarina told her maid, who was looking over her clothes one last time. She had on a dark green plaid silk bustled dress, with a green velvet cape over it, trimmed with reddish fox fur. There were emeralds at her ears, and in the pin on her dress, while her gloves were dark green leather. The hat was a small affair of green velvet with feathers; she looked sophisticated and beautiful.

"It is not spying, merely looking out for a family member, Highness. Mr. Jarrod is a lovely man, and we need to take care of him. At least this Samantha isn't une ballerine! They are imbeciles!" Nina retorted, almost spitting on the last word.

Nick was sitting in a chair, pursuing the newspaper and smoking a cigar when they walked in. He looked at his wife with an admiring smile, before he asked "What is une ballerine?" He liked Nina's outlook, and also her candid opinions. Nothing shocked her, and she was very comfortable in speaking her mind.

"That is French for ballerina, Nicholas. Do you have ballet here?" Katarina walked over to where he was sitting, as she explained "All grand dukes, that is what royals are in Russia, as well as other noblemen, keep ballerinas as their mistresses. Since they are dancers they are very, shall we say, flexible?" Her laugh made him smile.

"We don't have a ballet company in the city, but there are some that visit from time to time. Really, I don't think anyone could be more flexible than you, Sugar!" Nick almost leered at her as he made his comment, going on "I was just reading about the couple in the gossip column. Who knew that upright Pappy would appear in the paper like that?" He took a last draw on his cigar, before he put it out in the ashtray resting on the table next to the chair.

"She is said to be a very talented actress; not to mention beautiful." Katarina put her hand on the back of his neck to rub it, as she asked "Do you think she is his mistress? Or are they just dating? I never thought of Jarrod as keeping a mistress though?" She peered down at him, waiting for his comment.

He was dressed in his 'city' clothes, with a dressy pair of boots on, that were propped up on the table in front of him. Katarina nestled against his outstretched legs as her soft fingers stroked the back of his neck. Nick looked up at her with narrowed eyes, picturing her in a ballerina's tutu and tights.

Nick swung his one leg out, and brought it around so Katarina found herself pinned between his strong thighs. "Darling if Jarrod was keeping her as his mistress he wouldn't be parading her around the city! He is sending a clear message, one that we have even heard in Stockton." He was overjoyed that his brother was finally showing signs of life, especially with such a known beauty.

Nina was watching Mr. Nicholas eye his wife and she wondered why she had bothered about getting her ready to go out. She consoled herself with the fact that the man was very good at getting his wife out of, and back into her clothes. What mattered in her mind was that Highness was happy, loved, and protected.

"I am leaving now, so I hope you all have a good evening!" Nina announced, as she left the suite. Katarina was puzzled why the woman was talking about evening, since it was only three o'clock in the afternoon. As she was thinking that she felt her husband's legs squeezing around her.

"Nicholas, I don't want to be late for my visit with Bishop Krill!" Katarina informed him, as she continued "You can go visit some gentlemen's clubs while I am at the cathedral, and then you can pick me up and we will go have a proper Russian feast." She could see the gleam in Nicholas' eye, tried not to be enticed by what it meant.

"Darling, I am sure that the Bishop will understand if you are late because you have been fulfilling you conjugal duties." Nicholas' voice was seductive, as he reached his hand out to stroke her thigh. Katarina felt the waves of desire wash over her body as his hand moved from outside her thigh to inside of it.

"Nicholas, it will take ages to undress me, and then I will have to get redressed, and ahhh." Katarina's train of thought derailed as his fingers stroked upwards. She looked at him from under heavy eyelids, wondering how he could evoke the response he did in her, and so fast. Her femaleness was already warm and damp, and he had hardly done anything.

"Sugar, you could lift your skirt and petticoat up, while straddling me." Nick purred, enjoying how aroused she already was. He smiled wolfish as he went on "You can show me that you as flexible as une ballerine!"

She put her arms around his neck; as she bent down to kiss him, her tongue seductive in his mouth. Katarina felt him against her stomach, and she forgot all about her appointment. She broke off the kiss and looked down at him, seeing the glittering passion in his eyes.

"Nicholas, did you know that there are five basic positions for ballet?" Katarina voice was soft, as she moved her hands down to stroke his chest, and reach inside his jacket. She let her fingers linger over his nipples and he groaned in response.

"You are lucky that I actually took some ballet classes Nicholas, and will demonstrate the five positions while straddling you." Katarina adjusted herself, and him, before she started her demonstration. When she was done Nicholas was sure of two things; he had a new appreciation for ballet, and he didn't know if he was going to be able to walk anywhere. He told her that, and she just laughed as she tidied their clothes.

"Well we will take a carriage to the cathedral then." Katarina tossed her head saucily, making the feathers in her hat dance.

When they arrived at Holy Trinity they were shown to the Bishop's private waiting room, and served hot tea in glass cups that nestled in decorated metal holders. Katarina drank the tea gratefully, exclaiming that it was real Russian tea. Nick was not a tea drinker, but did like the slight taste of spice in the beverage. The red velvet sofa was very comfortable, and his wife was sitting very close to him. If she had so not been looking forward to an afternoon of speaking Russian he would have persuaded her to stay at the hotel.

Bishop Krill came out just then, and greeted them both. They talked for a bit, and then Katarina said goodbye to Nicholas, with the understanding that he would come back in two hours to pick her up. He watched them leave the room, to enter the Bishop's office, shutting the door behind them. His plan was to go to several of the bars, and clubs he liked, and catch up on the news around town.

At least that is what the plan had been, but sitting on the comfortable sofa now, in the warm room, going out into the cold didn't sound appealing. Nick had been up early to get some things done on the ranch before they left. Those activities, along with a round of love making on the train, and Katarina's ballet demonstration had worn him out. He decided that maybe a short nap would be a good idea. He curled into the pillows at the edge of the sofa, being sure to take his boots off first.

"Ekaterina Elizateva, what have you done to this man?" Bishop Krill asked her in a low voice, two hours later, as they came out of his office. She was surprised to see Nick fast asleep on the sofa, and turned to look at the Bishop. A pleased smile came across her face as she thought about their day.

"Your Excellency I have just been fulfilling my wifely duties." Katarina informed him, the innocence in her voice belied by the look in her eyes. Bishop Krill shook his head as he looked at the tall blonde woman standing next to him.

The bishop remembered that the Naryshkina family had Viking blood in them. When the blood thirsty tribes had invaded the country other people ran, but not the then Prince Naryshkina. He demanded a meeting with the chief Viking, made peace, and married one of his daughters. It was well known in Russia that the family was tireless in pursuit of their goals.

"Your husband will die a happy man, Ekaterina Elizateva." Bishop Krill shook his head again, as he regarded the sleeping man on the sofa.

"Nicholas is very happy, but he is not going to die! We have too much to do!" Katarina replied coolly to the prelate. He looked at her, and thought about the fire and passion of her Russian blood, the ruthlessness of her Viking blood, and the determinedness of the English. It came to him, that five months ago when he'd sent her off to the Barkley's ranch, he had worried about the wrong person. It wasn't the princess who had needed his prayers, but her husband. Bishop Krill then remembered how the man had looked when he had first met, and how he had strode happily into his office earlier today.

"God works in mysterious ways, Your Highness." The bishop intoned, deciding that Nicholas was happier than he'd ever been before, and Ekaterina Elizateva had purpose and passon in her life.

_Back in Stockton_

Heath turned the wagon down to the waterfront, heading to the Ship's Chandler that the Barkley's dealt with. He wasn't down there to get supplies for a ship though; rather rope for the ranch. Nick swore that the quality of the rope used on ships, and what it was treated with, held up better than the stuff sold at the feed store. Heath didn't agree, but guessed that Nick liked coming down to the waterfront.

The errand also gave him time to think about what was going on with Susannah. They had been out twice since the picnic, with mixed results. The first outing was just the two of them again, and it was an enjoyable time. Heath had kissed her goodnight, but made a point to keep it very gentle. The second outing was to an Italian restaurant that some people the Barkley's knew had just opened up.

The man's parents had come to the valley from Genoa, Italy and bought a small orchard. One of their sons was not interested in farming, and had married a girl from Naples whose family owned a restaurant there. The young man had decided that Stockton needed an Italian restaurant, and had approached the Barkley's about investing in it. So far the investment was paying off, and Heath had thought it would be a nice place to take Susannah. It was small, and cozy, while the food was always delicious.

Susannah though, he could tell by how she picked at it, had not cared for the food that was served. Heath also saw that her mouth tightened when he had a second glass of red wine, even if she didn't say anything. During the course of the evening Burt Covey and his wife had stopped by their table. Burt was a friend of Heath's, and until a year ago his wife Melissa had worked at one of the saloons before Burt fell in love with her. They married, and to everyone's surprise Melissa had made him a good wife.

Heath saw that she was now pregnant, and congratulated them, as he introduced Susannah to them. He was disappointed that she wouldn't raise her eyes, and hardly said anything at all to the couple. After they left Susannah had been strangely quiet, and he wasn't sure why. She finally said that she was feeling sad about her mother, but for some reason it didn't ring true. Heath wasn't sure if it was the set of her mouth, or the cold look in her eyes. He was finding that she could switch moods faster than he could keep up with sometimes. That evening he didn't kiss her goodnight, just gave her a hug.

There was also the fact that his family was not happy that he was seeing her again. Audra had been the most receptive, and Heath was sure that some of it was because Susannah had been helping out at the orphanage with her. Victoria didn't say anything, but he had seen that his mother only greeted the girl, when she saw her at church, with the minimal amount of politeness.

His brother Nick hadn't even bothered about being polite in his response. Last Sunday after church Heath had been talking with Susannah as Nick and Catherine walked by. It wasn't lost on Heath that Nick took his wife's arm and made sure they kept walking, without acknowledging Heath or Susannah. Things had been tense since then between him and Nick, so Heath had been glad when Nick and Catherine left for San Francisco yesterday.

His brother had left him a lengthy list of things to be done to get ready for the round-up, and the transportation to market of the cattle. Heath had been surprised that Nick was taking the week off, but had heard from Audra that he'd wanted to take Catherine to the city. He was willing to bet that Catherine had wanted to go to the city, and Nick had been happy to oblige her. Heath was amazed at how wrapped around her finger his brother was, and put it down to all the sex he was getting.

He saw Clark's Ship Chandler shop in front of him, so he put Susannah and his family out of his mind. Walking into the store the wooden floor creaked beneath his boots, while the faint smell of whale oil and ship's tar lingered in the air. He looked over at the counter and saw a young woman he didn't know waiting on two sailors who were looking at knives.

She had reddish-blonde hair, and eyes that were a shade between green and blue in a heart shaped face with creamy skin. Her hair was up, and he noticed a pair of gold drop earrings that glinted from the sun coming in through the windows. The young woman had a dress on in a bright shade of turquoise that was decorated with ribbons and lace a shade darker. Heath noticed her smile as she was laughing and joking with the sailors.

Heath wondered who she was, thinking she was one of the prettiest girls he'd seen in a long time. He felt very envious of the sailors who had her attention, as he watched with interest. He also noticed the fact that she seemed to genuinely like people. The thought that he wished Susannah was more like that came into his mind, but he dismissed it as being unfair, since she had just lost her mother.

"Sir, I'll be with you in just a minute." The young woman called to him, raising her voice slightly as she did so. Her voice had a lazy quality to it; he wouldn't call it a southern accent, but he reasoned she had probably spent some time in the south, or around southerners. It made Heath wonder where she was from, and he was looking forward to talking to her some more. The sailors finally finished up their business and left.

"How can I help you? Sorry about the wait, but they wanted a particular type of knife." The woman explained, as she regarded him. She thought he was very good looking, with his trim build, even features, and lovely blue eyes. When he smiled she noticed his eyes smiled too.

"I'm here to pick up an order of rope for the Barkley ranch." Heath explained, walking up to the counter. The young woman was even prettier up close, with a slightly turned up nose, and beautiful, large eyes. He still couldn't figure out if the color was blue or green, but he knew he would have been happy to look at them all afternoon.

"Of course, I'll have one of the boys bring it around for you, Mr. ?" She let the question hang in the air, and it took Heath a minute respond.

"Barkley, Heath Barkley." He managed to get out, wishing he didn't sound like a school boy. Heath waited for the recognition to come into the young woman's eyes but it didn't, which surprised him. He had seen too many women's eyes light up when he said his last name, but was intrigued that this one didn't respond that way. She was probably new in town, he reasoned, as he looked at her again.

"What does a ranch use ship's rope for, Mr. Barkley?" She asked, being very curious about why he was buying the stuff. She had heard of the Barkley's of course, but didn't want to seem rude by noticing the last name. It was also interesting, she thought, that the man came to get the rope himself, and not have one of his hands do it.

"Actually it is my brother Nick who insists we use it; he says that because of what it is treated with it holds up better than other rope. Oh, and please call me Heath." He explained, suddenly glad that Nick was picky about the quality of the rope.

"I can see that, because it is good quality and treated with a special mixture to help preserve it. Sea water is very corrosive. I was actually wondering if you lashed your cows together to take them swimming!" The woman's laughter floated around the store, and as Heath pictured what she had just said, he started to laugh too. It came to him that it had been a while since he'd laughed like that.

"Since you have my name, can I have yours?" Heath asked, as he'd been looking at how her eyes changed color.

"Lily Clark; my aunt and uncle own the shop here. I'm visiting from St. Louis." She replied when she stopped laughing. Her story broke the ice, and he found himself talking to her for almost another half hour. He found out that her father was Marcus Clark's brother, and that her family owned two ship's chandlers shops in St. Louis. She, along with her two brothers and older sister had all worked in the stores at various times. Heath only left because another customer had come into the shop.

On the ride back to the ranch he found himself wondering how he could see her again. She had only been in town a week, but he was pretty sure that their paths might not cross. Heath knew that her aunt and uncle were business associates, and friends, of Victoria and Nick. The relationship dated back to Tom Barkley, but he had never paid any attention to the couple before.

However, even as he was trying to figure out how to see Lily again, he was feeling guilty about it because of Susannah. Heath had not made any promises to her, but felt like they were going out. She had just lost her mother, and he thought it would be hurtful to her to leave her alone right now. He also thought it unfair to compare her to Lily, even as he found himself doing it, trying to picture Susannah talking as easily as Lily did to the two sailors. The picture that came to his mind was one he didn't care for.


	34. Chapter 34

_**San Francisco – Part Two**_

"I warned you Samantha, that Nick and Catherine would be late!" Jarrod announced as they sat at a table set for four by one of the large windows of the dining salon. She laughed in acknowledgement, having been told all about the couple, as well as his other family members. They were very comfortable with each other by now, and at the back of his mind he wondered where it was all going to end.

"I think it is wonderful that they are so passionate with each other, Jarrod, and it sounds like they are very much in love! I am looking forward to meeting the beautiful princess everyone talks about." Samantha smiled amusingly, as she took a sip of her cocktail before adding "It is also nice that it gives us more time together." As she said it she wanted to bite her tongue, because had forgotten that she and Jarrod weren't a real couple.

Jarrod looked over at her and smiled happily, liking what he had just heard. He was hopeful that she was developing feelings for him, because it would make the next step easier. Looking at her again he admired how white her skin looked against the burgundy satin dress, with a low cut bodice. The dress was trimmed with black lace, and little bits of jet crystals caught the light. The black accents highlighted her dark hair and eyes. Samantha had put her hair up, and ornamented it with a burgundy feather held in place by a diamond clip.

He was all set to say something more when he noticed that everyone else in the room was turning their heads towards the door. Jarrod glanced over, and wasn't surprised at what he saw "Samantha, I should have told you that my brother also likes to make an entrance." He said in a low voice to his companion as he watched Nick and Catherine cross the room.

Nick had on the same white tie and tails that Jarrod, and every other man in the room, did. Catherine was dazzling in a ruby red silk and tulle gown, lavishly trimmed with gold lace and flowers. Around her neck she had a necklace of gold chain that had tassels made of rubies on it, graduating in size until one large tassel hung on her bare chest.

Her dark gold hair was put up very elaborately, and decorated with a gold flower held in place by a ruby clip. Jarrod decided that both women were very aware of current fashion, and that even if they had nothing else to talk about, they could talk clothes. When Nick and Catherine arrived at the table, Jarrod did the introductions, and everyone chatted for several minutes, while Nick ordered drinks for himself and Catherine.

"Have you had a good visit in the city?" Samantha asked the blonde woman, while trying to determine if her dress was really a 'Worth' or just a good copy. She was not surprised at the jewelry, having spent time in Europe and seen what Russian noblewomen wore.

"It has been wonderful, and Nicholas has been a good sport about all the Russian food!" Catherine replied, while giving her husband a loving look, as she went on "Of course, the flavored vodkas help the bortsch soup go down. Poor man, he didn't know that it was made from beets!"

Catherine's remark caused merry laughter at the table, and Samantha watched as Nick fondly rubbed her back. She had no problems seeing that they were in love, and very passionately so. The conversation turned to food, and some of the city's restaurants. Catherine was impressed to learn that the actress had not only been to Europe in the last couple of years, but had family in France. She also enjoyed the actress' conversation about literature. Dinner was an enjoyable affair as everyone joined in the conversation.

"Brother Nick, any interesting news from home?" Jarrod asked, as the last course was being cleared away. He was rewarded with snort from his brother, before he took a large swallow from his wine glass. Catherine shook her head ruefully, and gave Jarrod a wry smile.

"Nothing too exciting, really, other than Heath is running after that scared filly again!" Nick exclaimed, holding back the curse words he wanted to add about his brother's behavior, because of Samantha. As he thought that he commented "I'm sure Samantha doesn't want to hear family stories."

"Samantha knows all about the 4th of July dinner, so don't worry about it. Do tell, what brought that about? Last I heard he had broken it off, from what Audra wrote me several weeks ago." Jarrod sighed, wishing he would have had the chance to talk to Heath before he left Stockton.

"I am partially to blame, I'm afraid." Katarina mused, as she explained "I'd been over at the Grandos' for lunch, and brought home news of Maria Montero's marriage that I announced at dinner, not knowing the history of her and Heath." Jarrod quickly explained to his date about that.

"Katarina, it's not your fault! If what Audra says is true he was already thinking about going back to her right after her mother passed away." Nick consoled his wife by rubbing the back of her bare neck very gently. Samantha watched as the Russian woman moved slightly, enjoying the touch, as she watched her husband. She wondered if Jarrod was as passionate as his brother was, having already noticed that he was very affectionate at times, before he caught himself.

"She doesn't sound like a very happy person, from what Jarrod told me about the evening. Is she very young?" Samantha questioned, thinking about what Jarrod had told her about the woman. They discussed Susannah for several minutes, as they filled the actress in.

"I really want to be happy for Heath, but I'm not sure that Susannah is the right person for him. My concern is that she is one of those women who want to stay in their house all the time, and would expect her husband to do the same. I could see Heath becoming very isolated from everyone else, because of her." Katarina offered, thinking about her brother-in-law. She also stifled a yawn, having been rather tired the last two days, but putting it down to all the activities they'd been doing in the city.

"Let's go check out the casino, to see what is happening, and I really want a cigar!" Jarrod announced as they moved away from the table. Smoking was not allowed in the dining room, only outside and in the gaming area.

"Brother that is a fine idea! A good cigar and a game of chance is a wonderful way to spend the evening!" Nick declared, being in fine fettle looking at his wife. They had made love before coming here, and he was ready for a wild evening. The food, drinks, and conversation had been excellent, and he was looking forward to the casino floor.

"The Marie Louise is supposed to mimic Monte Carlos, and so far the food and ambiance have lived up to their reputation." Samantha declared, causing Catherine to look at her with interest.

"Have you been to Monte Carlos? My cousin Michael took his mistress there, and told me all about it." Catherine enthused, adding "My cousin Sophie married a German, and for part of their honeymoon they went to Baden Baden. I was ever so jealous!" She laughed, and Samantha smiled at the Russian girl's gladness. She was fun, worldly, and good company, a combination that was very rare.

They went to the casino level, where various games of chance were going on, while everyone smoked and drank. Nick and Jarrod both spent time at the roulette table, before moving onto a game of craps. Catherine and Samantha had glasses of champagne, while Jarrod and Nick had cigars and whiskey. They talked about the clothes the other women were wearing, in between cheering on the boys at the craps table.

Nick and Jarrod decided they wanted to play Faro, and when Samantha murmured to Catherine about some fresh air she went along with her. The boys were having a fun time, and merely nodded at what the women said to them. Catherine put her almost untouched glass of champagne down, wondering if something she had eaten disagreed with her. They went outside to the upper deck, which looked out over the harbor.

"Ahh, a little calmer here!" Samantha declared, as they rested against the rail of the deck. She looked over at Catherine, as she nodded her head.

"Wow that was a lot going on! But lots of fun and you can tell that the men are having a good time!" Katarina giggled, as she confessed "My cousin Sophie told me that when she and Werner went to Baden Baden, they ended up rather drunk! I can see how that could happen."

"I noticed that you weren't gambling, which is different than most Russians I know." Samantha had been curious at Catherine's behavior, and wondered what she was going to say. She saw the woman get a faraway look in her eyes, before she said anything.

"Samantha, the last time I gambled, it was with God! I am lucky at how everything turned out, and decided I never wanted to risk my luck again." Katarina confessed, still remembering how her uncle's plan had been called on the carpet.

Samantha looked at the poised young woman, and wondered what she was talking about. The response she received, to her question shocked her no end. She asked for more clarification to what she had just been told.

"The bishop told me that I'd played Russian roulette with God, and deserved to be damned to hell. He also offered that if I made it right I might be forgiven." Katarina paused, as she looked out on the water. Smiling softly she added "I was rather halfway in love with Nicholas already, because he had been so kind to me. Bishop Krill saw that, and also what Nicholas and I have between us, and he decided to play matchmaker."

Samantha looked at the young woman, and saw that she really was young, in spite of the elaborate clothes and jewelry. She couldn't imagine being put in the position of having to go a strange country, and live with people you didn't know. However, arranged marriages were very common in Europe, where daughters were used to secure land, or increase their family's wealth or prestige. Samantha was sure that Catherine had borne her situation with grace, because of her upbringing.

"Catherine I can see why you would not want to gamble again!" Samantha nodded her head, offering "I'm from New Orleans, which is very French influenced; my mother was also French by the way. Anyway, the men love to gamble just like the Russians." The rest of the conversation was spent talking about where the women had visited in Europe, as well as the great fashion houses.

Katarina for her part was impressed with Samantha's knowledge of literature, as well as her knowledge of opera. They had a very detailed discussion about the German composer Wagner, before moving on to European writers. She was over the moon that Samantha knew about Pushkin, and had read two of his plays, albeit in the French translation.

"Shall we go see what Nicholas and Jarrod are up to?" Katrina asked after a while, staring to get cold standing out by the rail. She was also feeling incredibly tired, but not understanding why. Her body felt out of sorts, and she just wanted Nicholas against her.

When they found the brothers, both were doing very well, being back at the craps table. They were on another round of cigars and glasses of whiskey, while wearing happy smiles. Katarina was glad that Nicholas was having a good evening, knowing that he needed to blow off some steam. She had seen how, at the ranch, he was responsible for everything, and couldn't always relax. Nicholas had needed this time away as much as she had, she thought, as she snuggled up against him.

"Sugar, there you are! What should I do with all this money? Walk away, or bet it all on your birthday?" Nick's voice boomed over the din of the casino, and she looked up admiringly at her tall, handsome husband.

"The problem with my birthday though is that I have two of them!" Katarina giggled happily, taking a sip of his whiskey. Nicholas was so alive, so vital, and so incredible that she just wanted to wrap herself all over him. She set the glass back down, not understanding why her stomach had churned at the small sip she had taken.

"Ok, I don't think you were born twice! How do you have two birthdays?" Nick asked, feeling distracted by how she was pressing against him in a needy fashion. Jarrod, remembering the differences in the calendars grinned.

"Brother, they use an old style dating system; Catherine what are the dates?" Jarrod asked, being pleased with how well the evening was going. Samantha and his sister-in-law had hit it off right away, and he was enjoying the time with Nick also. It had been almost a year since they'd done anything like this, and he had missed it. Jarrod also wished that Heath could have been here, but then put that though of his mind as Catherine answered his question.

"February 23rd in Russia, which would have been March 8th everywhere else." Katarina replied, moving slightly closer to Nick. She felt an overwhelming urge to just be in bed, with her husband next to her. Nick was picking up that she needed him, and he started to feel rather bored with the whole casino thing. He decided that going back to the hotel with her would be a lot more fun than anything happening on the boat.

"I am putting all the money on number 8, since my birthday is April 8th, and Katarina was my early birthday gift!" Nick announced loudly, as he kissed his wife's cheek, thinking of the other places he wanted to kiss.

The money was placed, the dice rolled, and number 8 was the winner! Nick exclaimed loudly, this time kissing his wife deeply on her mouth. Katarina moved against him, and he decided he was done with the evening. He collected his winnings, passing some of them back to the croupier, before they left the table.

They went to the lounge, which was decorated with a painted ceiling of some mythology scene, and lots of gilt fixtures. Nightcaps were ordered, while Jarrod gave Nick suggestions for what he could do with his winnings. It was also decided that Katarina would go shopping the next day with Samantha, while Nick caught up on some business with Jarrod. Goodnights were said, and they went their separate ways in cabs.

As soon as the cab started moving Nick put his arms around his wife, and pulled her close as he kissed her hard. For some reason she didn't understand Katarina needed to feel him next to her, and she responded wholeheartedly. He enjoyed it, and was glad their hotel was not that far away; otherwise he wasn't sure that he could have controlled himself for too long.

Jarrod and Samantha were talking in the cab, as they drove over to her house. He liked how she was sitting close to him, and wished the evening didn't have to end. He was also envious of his brother, who would spend the night making love to his wife. The way Nick and Catherine had acted toward each other by the end of the night made it very clear what was going to happen between them. Jarrod saw with amazing clarity that he was in love with Samantha, and wanted her with him in his bed. He hoped they caught the blackmailer soon, so he could tell her his feelings.

"Your brother was certainly everything you said about him!" Samantha laughed as she thought of the tall man with the booming voice. Jarrod had said that Nick took over a room, and she had seen it tonight.

"Samantha, let me tell you, what you saw tonight is a toned down version. A year ago Nick would have been at the boat all night, drinking and gambling until he closed the place down." Jarrod replied, thinking of some of the jaunts they had done together.

"I can see why you said that Catherine was perfect for your brother, Jarrod. The connection they have is very apparent, and she suits him well. A lot of women would have problems with how proud, and protective your brother is. Of course it helps that she is European, as that is what she grew up with I'm sure." Samantha stated, as she turned slightly to look at him better. Her movement pushed her body into closer contact with his, releasing a torrent of desire in her.

Jarrod felt her against him, and almost gritted his teeth, trying to control the impulse he had, to take her in his arms. He was afraid both of her reaction, and his, if that happened. Drawing on every courtroom skill he knew, he stifled what he was feeling, as he responded to her "Well that was apparent the first time I saw them together! They were both scared to death at what had happened with their lives, but united at the same time."

She heard the wistful note in his voice, and saw how lonely the man was. Jarrod wasn't someone who went in for casual relationships; if he opened his heart, he opened his life. He was a man whose family was everything to him, and a man who needed a happy home life. As she thought that, she remembered the conversation earlier in the evening.

"I wonder if Nick and Catherine are part of the reason why Heath is going out with that woman." Samantha inquired, as they had been rehashing the evening's conversation. She had picked up, earlier, how concerned Jarrod was about his youngest brother.

"Samantha, what do you mean?" Jarrod's other train of thought was broken, as he heard what she was saying.

"You've told me that Nick and Heath are very close, and I'm sure Nick getting married affected the relationship. Add in the fact that Nick and Catherine are very much in love, and very attentive to each other. It must be hard for Heath to see that, and I'm sure he wants the same kind of relationship. However, I think Heath is trying to force something that really needs to happen on its own."

He gave some thought to what she was saying, and saw the wisdom of it; when something was right everything flowed. Jarrod told her that, and she nodded her head. He looked at her, and was all set to throw caution to the wind, when the carriage pulled up in front of her house. Not knowing whether to be disappointed or relived, he went to open the door for her.

Jarrod held the door open, as she exited the carriage, and then waited for him to walk with her to the small portico of her row house. He was right behind her, and ended up bumping onto her when she stopped suddenly, before setting foot on the raised brick edge. The harsh inwardly drawn breath that Samantha took was apparent to him, as she was right against him.

"Oh, oww, God help me!" Samantha's anguished cries sounded like they were coming from a wounded animal and Jarrod was taken aback. She was standing rock still, hardly moving beyond a slight trembling of her body.

"Samantha, what is it? What is going on?" Jarrod was puzzled about her reaction, and finally stepped slightly to the side, to see what had her so transfixed. There on the step of her house stood a crudely built small structure, almost what he would call a miniature house with a roof and open walls. Someone had laid down a red silk cloth over the front step, before they erected the wooden structure. Underneath the roof was a series of what looked like chicken leg bones, laid out in an intricate pattern.

On top of the bones was a doll made of straw with black yarn for hair and eyes, with a small pointed object piercing the area where the heart would be. As Jarrod looked closer, he saw that an upside down crucifix had been placed at the top of where the doll's head was. To him it looked like some child's project gone bad, but as he saw the fright and horror in Samantha's eyes, he realized that it had whole other level of meaning.


	35. Chapter 35

_**Author's Note: The information on voodoo presented in this chapter is cobbled together from various TV shows, and Wikipedia. I do not guarantee how factual it actually is; the upside down cross is from the 'black mass' of Satanists.**_

_**Voodoo in San Francisco**_

Jarrod recovered from the shock, and quickly hustled Samantha inside, keeping his arm around her. Piers came into the hall to see what was going on, and saw the lawyer holding Samantha in his arms. The man started to back away, but Jarrod's voice stopped him.

"Piers please go take care of what is on the front porch, and the come into the front room. I want to talk to you." He said firmly, as he led the trembling woman into the small parlor. Jarrod gently set her down on the settee, then went and poured her some brandy. He brought it over to her, and with trembling hands she gratefully took the glass. Samantha took several sips, and then she handed the glass back to him, as she burst into tears.

Setting the glass aside he pulled her into his arms and felt her warm, wet tears on his shirt front. Jarrod held her, stroking her hair as she cried a little more. Samantha had put her arms around his waist, and was holding on to him tightly. Jarrod remembered his earlier thought, about how he had wanted to hold her, but wished it wasn't in this way. He could tell that she had stopped crying, and was just resting her head on his chest.

They stayed like that for a while, until she looked up at him, her eyelashes still wet from her tears. Samantha looked so scared and frightened that it tore at his heart. Jarrod wanted to kiss her so badly, but decided that he didn't want their first kiss to be under these circumstances. He moved one of his hands to pick up the brandy glass, and passed it to her.

"Samantha, I know that you are upset about this, and I just want to protect you. However, to do that, I need to put my lawyer hat on, and ask some questions. Is that all right?" Jarrod's voice was soft, hoping she wouldn't think he was unfeeling. She nodded her head, and took another sip of the brandy, as he handed her his handkerchief.

"No, Jarrod, I understand" She replied wearily, feeling like all the starch had been taken out of her. Samantha also felt cold, both in her body, and in the pit of her stomach.

"First of all, tell what that was on the front porch, and why did it upset you?" Jarrod decided to start with basic information first.

"Its part of a voodoo ritual; the death rite." Samantha hung her head, as she twisted his handkerchief in one of her hands, before she went on "It is a type of religion that was practiced by the slaves in Louisiana, and the Caribbean islands. My understanding is that it derives from an African religion, but because of the French colonists, certain catholic beliefs were woven into the rituals."

Jarrod's heart sunk when he heard what she was saying; it confirmed his fear that the threat to Samantha was deeply personal. "What did those items on the front porch mean?" He queried her, already having a good idea from the upside down cross.

"A silk cloth is always used to cover the altar or sacrificial table, being white, black, or red. The ritual determined the color of the cloth, and the pattern of the chicken bones; that is all I know about that. The doll was supposed to be me, and the stake in my heart was to represent my death. The upside down cross signifies that I am being sacrificed to the devil."

"Samantha, how many people here in the city know that you are from New Orleans? Is that fact included in your publicity information?" Jarrod knew that the theater always had a write up on the leading actors and actresses that they gave out.

"Jarrod, it is not included in my press information. When I started the theater management was concerned about repercussions from the fall out of the war, so they left it out. Instead they talk about how mother was French, letting people think I'm French too." Samantha had an anguished note in her voice, as she added "You are the only person I've even told that I was married, and have a son!"

"That gives me a lot of information, even if it doesn't seem like it. Obviously the person who is doing this comes from New Orleans too." Jarrod informed her, and then asked "Tell me about your family, and your husband's family." He hoped to maybe narrow down who it might, and knew that most crimes are committed by those near and dear.

"Charles, my husband was an only child; his father died when he was young, and his mother passed away not long after New Orleans surrendered. She actually lived with me, after Charles went off to fight." Samantha replied sadly, and Jarrod had the impression that she had been close to her mother-in-law. He asked her that, and she confirmed his thought.

"My parents, when the war started, joined a travelling theater company that was performing at army bases around the Gulf coast. They were at Port Arthur when it came under attacked, and were killed when the building they'd taken shelter in collapsed." She shook her head, as another sad look passed over her face. Just then Piers came into the room, and Jarrod saw that the man's face had gone ashen.

"Miz Samantha, Mr. Barkley, I done took care of that nastiness! I just finished burning it; that is why it took me a little longer." Piers announced, and Jarrod sighed inwardly, trying not to think of what evidence might have been destroyed. He consoled himself with the knowledge that there probably wasn't too much to be learned from the materials.

"Piers, let me write a note, and I want you to take it to the address I give you. Wait until you get a response, and then come back." Jarrod stood up, and going over to a small desk, reached for a sheet of paper and pen that were lying out. "I will stay here until you get back, and then will wait until the guard we get comes. Samantha, I am going to put a watch on the front and back entrances of the house." He finished writing the note, and passed it to Piers, who gave him an approving look.

Jarrod waited until he was gone, before he addressed Samantha "Well I think we have flushed the blackmailer out. I will confess I didn't think he would do something like this. You need to be aware that we are probably dealing with a mentally disturbed individual; this is not about money." He felt bad about having to tell her, but thought she would want to know the truth.

While they waited he sat next to her, holding her hands, and asking questions about her life in New Orleans. Unfortunately none of it yielded any clues, but Jarrod could tell that Samantha had enjoyed talking about the old city. He decided to distract her, and changed the subject to her son, which cheered her up. After a while Piers returned with the retired Pinkerton man, who had also brought two guards with him.

Harris, the retired detective advised going to the police, but Samantha demurred. She was concerned about the publicity, and her connection to the south. Jarrod, seeing visions of the headlines the voodoo connection would bring, agreed with her. He stayed for a few more minutes, but he decided to say good night.

"Samantha, I want you to stay inside tomorrow, until Nick drops Catherine off. Go to the normal places you would go, but know that one of the guards will be discretely following you." Jarrod told her, as he put his arms around her. "Let's plan on having dinner tomorrow night, and hopefully I will know something by then." He carefully kissed her forehead, not trusting himself to do anything else.

When Jarrod had put his arms around her, she had felt the thrill run through her body that he evoked whenever he touched her. Samantha wondered if he was going to kiss her, and was rather disappointed when he only kissed her forehead. She found herself wishing that he was spending the night with her, not knowing that he was thinking the same thing.


	36. Chapter 36

_**Author's Note: St. Catherine's feast day is not in September, but rather in April or November, depending on which one you are referring to. However, name day celebrations were big occasions in the Russian Orthodox Church, and the September date works with my storyline.**_

_**Frisco Views**_

Katarina and Samantha were in Gump's Department Store examining delicate jade and porcelain figurines from the orient. They had already been to the millinery department on the first floor, along with several other departments. Katarina wished she wasn't feeling so tired, because she was excited about seeing the store. When she'd been in India she had heard about Harrods's, the big department store in London.

The idea of being able to shop for all kinds of merchandise, in one store, had sounded very intriguing. Even St. Petersburg, for all of its cosmopolitan ways, didn't have anything like that. Katarina was making notes in her brain, about stuff to write to Sophie in the next letter. She loved getting Sophie's letters because they were always illustrated with beautifully drawn and colored pictures of life in Hong Kong. Her cousin was a good artist, and Katarina envied that, not having that talent.

She blamed her tiredness on the fact that she and Nicholas had made love three times last night. When they had arrived at their room, he had her clothes off of her before they even made it into the bedroom. Katarina had been hungry for him, and their first coupling had been hard and fast. The next two were a little slower, but equally passionate.

When she woke up early the next morning, her stomach had felt a little off, which again made her wonder what she'd eaten. Moving very quietly, so as not to wake up her husband, who was sleeping off their lovemaking, and the whiskey he'd had the night before, she went into the front room. Bishop Krill had given her some Russian tea, so she made herself a cup, which helped to settle her stomach, before she went back to sleep.

Reviewing all that in her mind, she wished she wasn't as tired as she felt, and hoped they could sit down to have some tea soon. Katarina also felt hungry suddenly, which had her thinking that maybe her stomach had finally settled itself. She noticed that Samantha had turned away from the figurines, and decided to suggest getting something to eat to her.

"That is a lovely idea! They have a café on the top floor that is quite good." Samantha replied to the query happily. She had not slept well last night, being worried about what the blackmailer was going to do next. There was also the issue of her feelings for Jarrod, and what to do in regard to them. They took the elevator up to the top floor, where the café was, decorated in pink, white, and green.

"Samantha, this food is delicious! I've never had crabmeat like this, warm and with cheese." Katarina declared, as she helped herself to another of the 'crab Louis' mini sandwiches. The actress was watching her, glad that she liked the food, but a little surprised at how much the Russian girl was eating.

"Actually, it is a local version of 'crab Louis', a French specialty." Samantha replied, and explained how it was made.

"Please excuse me for eating so much, but my stomach was rather upset this morning. Actually, it has been acting up lately. Last night, anytime I tried to drink anything alcoholic, it felt nauseous; probably because of something I had eaten." Katarina confessed, as she took another crab sandwich, as well as a cucumber sandwich too. Samantha looked at her, and thought about what she had just been told. Those symptoms sounded similar to some that she'd experienced thirteen years ago, and she remembered her thought from last night, about how young Jarrod's sister-in-law was.

"Catherine, I'm curious about something, if you don't mind me asking. Is it hard to live somewhere that you are a stranger?" Samantha wondered whether there was any female support for the girl, at the ranch. She knew that Nick loved his wife, but sometimes a woman needed another woman, especially if what Samantha suspected was true.

"No, I don't mind you asking Samantha." Katarina smiled kindly at the actress, as she went on "At first it was so hard, but as I spent more time there it became easier. In some ways life on the ranch is similar to my family's estates in Russia. Audra, the boys' sister is good company, while Nick's mother and I have become friends; she is a wonderful person." Katarina didn't want to reveal how Victoria had been towards her at first, because she understood why now. She was also hoping that Victoria would be Samantha's mother-in-law too, and she didn't want that relationship to get off on the wrong foot.

Samantha felt better when she heard how warmly Catherine spoke of her mother-in-law, being sure that the older woman would be a good resource of the Russian girl. It made her curious about Jarrod's mother, and she wondered if she would ever get to meet her. She also pondered what the woman would think of her son being involved with an actress.

When they finished eating, Samantha told her about a shop over by the Asian section of the city, which specialized in imported silks from china. They rode the elevator, with its elaborate brass cage, back down to the main floor. Leaving the building, Samantha saw her carriage, rented from the livery stable for the day, so she flagged it over. She didn't see the guard, but Jarrod had told her he would be discrete about his presence.

Samantha didn't know it, but the guard was lying in a side alley, knocked out, along with the driver of the carriage. The man who did it took the black great coat, and hat, thanking providence that he was the same size as the driver. Samantha was too busy listening to Catherine talk about the ranch, to notice that the driver was different.

They had been moving for about ten minutes when Katarina noticed a familiar smell that reminded her of St. Petersburg. It was faintly salty, and slightly swamp like, a smell common to places built next to, or on top of, water. She remembered the actress saying they were going to the Asian part of the city, which puzzled her. Nicholas had pointed out, on their way over to the Russian section the first time, the Asian temple. Reviewing the map of the city in her mind, she knew that the Russian section was not by the waterfront.

"Are we heading toward the waterfront?" Katarina asked delicately, not wanting to question Samantha's coachman. Maybe the smell of the water just carried further inland, she reasoned to herself.

"It sure smells like it!" Samantha inhaled the air, and she started to feel cold and scared. She tried rapping on the roof of the coach, to get the driver's attention. It was when the carriage speeded up that she knew they were in trouble. She reached over and clasped Katarina's hand, and the other woman had no problem understanding why her companion's eyes were dilated with fear.

Suddenly they were jostled to the side of the carriage, as it came to a quick stop. They heard the driver jumping down, and when the door was thrown open they saw a strange man pointed a gun at them. "Get out, now!" He snarled, as he cocked the weapon to show that he meant business.

"Look, we'll give you our valuables! Please don't hurt us!" Samantha declared, as she quickly climbed out of the carriage, with Katarina right behind her. Katarina was cursing herself for not having had the presence of mind to get her gun out of her purse. She was hoping that the thief wouldn't find it, and that maybe she could get to it.

"There is nothing you have that I want other than your traitorous life!" The man declared, putting the gun in Samantha's face, before he turned to look at the other woman "Has you friend told you who, and what she really is? Well, don't worry you will have plenty of time to listen to the story. Now march!" He motioned them over to a dilapidated warehouse, whose dock was falling apart.

Once inside the abandoned building he brought rope out, and tied them to a wooden post in the middle of the room. Katarina was trying to process what was going on, while she noticed that Samantha seemed to be in shock. Once they were tied up the man stepped back several paces, and then with great flourish took of the black greatcoat and hat. He was wearing a grey uniform, with buff colored facings and some gold decorations; it was one that Katarina had never seen before.

"Who the hell are you, and what the fuck are you doing?" Katarina cursed without meaning to, now feeling very annoyed at what was going on. Samantha managed to rouse herself when she heard the young woman cursing, but when she saw the uniform the man had on she went white, before she slumped over in a faint.

Nick was sitting in Jarrod's office, smoking a cigar as they concluded their business. He had dropped Katarina off at Samantha's earlier, taking a little bit of time to talk to Jarrod's girl friend. He and Katarina had discussed on the way over about how they both really liked the woman. Nick had wanted his wife to try to find out how serious the couple was, but Katarina said she wasn't going to pry. Remembering that now, he decided to do a little on his own. He was sure that in spite of her declaration to the contrary, she would get the whole story.

"Katarina and I had a great time last night, and we really like Samantha!" Nick offered up, as he took a draw on his cigar, before adding "Why don't you bring her to the party I'm throwing next month, for Katarina's name day." Jarrod looked with interest what Nick had had just said, and asked him about the purpose of the party.

"In the Russian church your saint's day or name day as it is called because you are always named after a saint, is celebrated. It is actually a bigger deal than birthdays, according to Bishop Krill and Nina. I thought that Katarina would like to have something that reminded her of Russia, and we haven't had a party for a while." Nick explained; glad now that both the clergy man and the maid had told him about the celebrations.

Jarrod had been slightly preoccupied all morning, thinking about Samantha and her situation. He had already reviewed the precautions he had put in place several times, but couldn't shake a nagging feeling that he had, that he'd missed something. Thinking about the party was a nice change, and as he thought about it he saw that it would be the perfect excuse to bring up the subject of their relationship with Samantha. Jarrod was sure the blackmailer would soon be caught, and inviting her to a family event would be a good gauge to see what her feelings toward him were.

He asked his brother several more questions about the party, and the guest list. Jarrod wasn't surprised when Nick announced that he didn't want the scared filly at the party. His brother had told him the night before that he'd already told their younger brother not to bring her to any more family events. In his role as Pappy he felt bad that there was a rift between his brothers, once again caused by a woman.

However, he didn't blame Nick his feelings, after that dinner on the 4th of July. It was too bad, he sighed, that Heath had become involved with Susannah. Jarrod thought about what Samantha had conjectured last night, and was sure that Nick's marriage had been the catalyst for the relationship starting.

"Brother Nick, thank you for the suggestion! I will talk to her about it, and see what she thinks. Samantha told me that she had enjoyed Catherine's company." Jarrod replied, and was all set to say more when there was a pounding on the office door, before it was hurled open. Harris, the retired Pinkerton agent, and a tall heavyset man in everyday clothes were entering his office.

"Mr. Barkley, I'm sorry to disturb you like this, but it is an emergency." Harris started, and then pushed the big man forward he went on "This is Jim, the bodyguard who was supposed to be following Miss St. Claire's carriage. He, and the driver, was knocked unconscious and left in an alley not far from Gump's." Jarrod jumped up quickly, now knowing why he'd had that nagging feeling of something being wrong. Samantha was in danger, and he had to get to her.

"What the fuck is he talking about, Jarrod? Why do you have Harris and a bodyguard following Samantha? And god damn it all, my wife is with her!" Nick's voice boomed around the room, and Harris winced, having never heard Mr. Barkley's brother _that loud_ before. The burly bodyguard looked with respect at Nick, being willing to bet that he could kill a man with his bare hands if he wanted to.

Jarrod asked Harris some questions, and then explained the whole situation to his brother. He decided that he was glad that Nick was him. There was no better man in a fight, and Jarrod knew that where the family was concerned his middle brother would be relentless. After he explained about the letters and everything else, the men discussed their strategy. The talk was interrupted by a Pinkerton agent who came to tell Harris that the carriage had been found. They left the office to go examine the vehicle, hoping to find a clue as to where the women had been taken.


	37. Chapter 37

_**Memories Of The Old South**_

Katarina was mad as hell, and glared at the figure in the strange grey uniform, since he was the cause of it all. She also looked over at Samantha, who was slumped over, still passed out. It made her wonder who the man was, and why they were tied up like they were.

"I will ask again, who the hell are you, you fucking asshole, and why are we tied up?" Katarina's accented voice echoed around the empty building, and the man looked at her with interest. He bowed slightly as he regarded her.

"I am Captain Reginald Pettit, of the 2nd Mississippi regiment. I am guessing from your accent that you are not American?" The man responded to her in a voice that had a drawl to the accent, before he gave her a disdainful look "I know that you are not one of our fair flowers of the south, because of your language. A true gentlewoman never uses foul language."

"I am sure that if said gentlewoman was tied to a wooden post in a cold, damp warehouse, she probably would!" Katarina declared, wishing she wasn't tied up so that she could get in the man's face. She gave him a cold glare instead as she informed him "You are hardly a person to be talking about manners, since a gentleman would not tie up two defenseless women!"

"I am an officer in service to the Confederate States of America, and I am righting a wrong that was done to a fellow officer!" Capt. Pettit intoned solemnly, before his lips twisted into a snarl as he looked at Samantha. He strode over and slapped her face, to bring her back to consciousness. Katarina winced as she heard the impact of his hand on the actress' face.

"Ahh, oh, ahhh!" Samantha moaned as she came around, and saw the grey clad figure standing above her. "Good lord, what is going on? Who are you?" Her voice rose to a terrified crescendo as she started to put the pieces together in her mind.

"Mrs. Burns, how nice of you to join the tete-a-tete!" The man affected a pleased tone of voice, as if they were at a garden party. Katarina was confused about why he was calling Samantha Mrs. Burns, but not about her American history.

"Capt. Pettit, even I, a foreigner, knows that the Confederate States of America ceased to exist over ten years. In case you have been missing in action, your side lost!" She informed their captor in a disdainful tone of voice. Katarina now remembered Samantha telling them last night that she was from New Orleans originally. Her best guess was that this officer had some grudge against the actress, or a family member.

"Yes, whoever you are, we did lose! But we lost valiantly and bravely! My unit was stationed at Vicksburg, charged with the defense of the great river fortress. Charles Burns, a loyal and Christian man was my second in command. He was also the husband of that traitor that you call a friend!" Pettit almost screeched as he made his pronouncement.

Katarina turned slightly to look at Samantha, finding it hard to believe that what she was hearing could be true. The Captain saw her confusion, and grinned evilly, before a satisfied expression crossed his face. "I bet she hasn't told you that part of her life, isn't that right Samantha?"

The actress looked up at him in horror, as she realized that this man had known her husband. The thought came to her that he had probably been there when Charles had died. Reginald Pettit saw the way she was regarding him, and he let loose a maniacal laugh that bounced off the walls.

"Oh, now you are figuring it out! Charles always said you were smart. Thank goodness he died so he didn't have to find out what kind of a woman he had married." The grey clad officer looked down at her in disgust, as he explained "Did you know that it was over forty days before we surrendered the fort? We lost more men to sickness and starvation, than to the Yankees! By the end of the siege there weren't even any rats left, because we had eaten them all."

"Ma'am, where are you from, if I may ask?" Capt. Pettit turned to Katarina as he asked his question in a conversational tone of voice. She saw that he must be quite mad, with the way he could switch moods so fast. One minute he was almost shrieking, and the next he seemed quite normal. It came to her that she needed to be careful and stop baiting him, before he did something very serious.

"I am from Russia, Capt. Pettit. May I ask where you are from?" Katarina willed herself to talk in a pleasant tone of voice, so as not to set him off.

"Early in the war we had some military representatives of European powers that came to observe our grand army in action. I believe one of them was a countryman of yours." The officer replied, and then answered her question "My hometown was Vicksburg, Mississippi. While New Orleans surrendered without a shot even being fired, we held out in defense of the Confederacy!"

Katarina was not familiar enough with the individual battles of the war, but she was willing to take his word for what had happened. It was apparent that the officer had taken the loss of his men, and the surrender, personally. His mind had become unhinged because of it, and somehow Samantha was the target of his venom and hatred. Her musings were broken by Samantha starting to say something, but he slapped her again.

"While her husband was eating rats to stay alive this traitor signed the oath of allegiance to the United States of America! She turned her back on the cause her husband was fighting for; isn't that right Mrs. Burns?" Pettit asked in a cruel voice, as he used his booted foot to jab at her leg.

"Instead of staying home and praying for our victory she went to the theater and whored herself out by entertaining union troops! The same troops whose comrades were bombarding us at Vicksburg!" The man was working himself up again, and Katarina saw madness in his pale blue eyes. He wasn't done with his revelations though. "Not only did she go to work for the union army, but she took one of them as her lover!"

Samantha's whole body went limp, as he hurled the accusations at her. She looked over at Jarrod's sister-in-law and wondered how she would ever face her again, now that she knew the truth. "Capt. Pettit you don't understand! I loved my husband, but I had a baby to take care of; his baby!" Samantha wailed, hoping that maybe he would understand why she'd done what she had. She also wondered if Catherine would understand.

"I was captured by the Yankees after Vicksburg fell, but I escaped them soon enough. I made my way to New Orleans, to carry out your husband's last request." Pettit's voice echoed around the room as he told his story "It took him over three days to die and all he did the entire time is talk about you and how much he loved you. He asked me to find you and tell you that he never stopped loving you."

"All the time Charles was dying, crying for you, what were you doing?" Pettit seethed, as bits of spittle showed at the corners of his mouth, before he went on "He led me to believe you were a pure angel, and when I arrived in New Orleans and saw what you really were, it made me sick!"

"You are a traitorous whore, who needs to be executed for your actions! The Lord has anointed me in my cause." Reginald Pettit decreed in a formal voice, as he started walking away. He stopped and turned back to the two women "I need to go get rid of the carriage, so they don't find you. However, when I come back justice will be served!" Both women watched him walk away, and slam the door after him.

"Catherine, I am so sorry about this! You shouldn't be involved, his grudge is against me." Samantha told the Russian girl in a low voice, and then she trembled as she added "I want to explain about what he said, about me." She was sure that the woman was thinking awful thoughts of her, which was deserved.

"Samantha, you don't owe me any explanations for your private affairs." Katarina replied, being concerned about how the actress was holding up. She could tell that the woman's breathing was irregular, and she was shivering badly. The story that Capt. Pettit had told had been so sensational as to almost be made up in his mad mind.

"No, I do owe you that, because it is true!" Samantha announced, as she looked at Katarina out of the side of her eye "I mean it is true, but it wasn't like he was saying. I had a baby, no food, or money, and I'd not heard from my husband in over six months. Piers and Elyse tried to help me, by taking the food the Yankees were willing to give to the Negros, but it wasn't enough for all four of us."

"By then it was clear that the south wasn't going to win the war. Under the occupation, if a southerner signed the oath of allegiance to the union they could work. My family has always been in the theater, and I knew I could get a job as an actress, which I did. I didn't see it as a betrayal, because I was doing it for my son. However, that still didn't solve the other problem." Samantha faltered in her story, and felt Katarina move her arm against hers in sympathy.

"Catherine, an occupying army takes what they want, be it food, alcohol, or women. The threat of rape was very real in a town where the only men were too old or young boys. Piers protected me as best as he could, but I knew that the threat was still there." She paused, taking a deep breath she plowed ahead with her confession "I waited until I had confirmation that Charles was dead, before I became the mistress of a union officer."

"Samantha, you didn't do anything wrong! You were just looking out for your family, and you don't have to explain anything to me." Katarina felt so bad for the woman, trying to imagine being in that circumstance herself. Doing some quick calculations she guessed that the actress was probably only eighteen when it all happened. It was sobering to realize that it was the same age that she was now, and the terror she would have felt.

"Peter Talbot was a gentleman, with an invalid wife. He was kind to me, and my son, and his protection meant I didn't have to worry about being raped anymore. Peter supported my household, and saw to it that we never lacked for anything. So many women lost babies that year, and I felt grateful every time I looked at Charles Jr." Samantha offered up, going on "I am still in contact with him, but our affair has been over for a long time. Catherine, I've never done that again, and I don't want to either."

"I personally admire you for what you did for your son, Samantha! It shows courage and love that you did what you did, and your child is lucky you are his mother." Katarina told her truthfully, knowing that she had set aside her principles to save her baby.

"Just so you know, Jarrod is aware of all this. Peter was a friend of his in Washington DC during the war, and they stayed in touch. When I started receiving the threatening letters it was Peter who suggested I go to Jarrod for help." Samantha went on to explain about the letters, but left out the part about how she and Jarrod had been pretending to be going out. By some miracle the woman had understood what she'd done and why, but she didn't think she could reveal the other deceit without betraying Jarrod.

Samantha's train of thought was broken by how Katarina was squirming around, and wriggling her hands. She was shocked when the Russian girl managed to get one of them out of the ropes, followed by the other one.

"How did you do that? The ropes are so tight!" Samantha asked in surprise, as the woman removed the rest of the ropes. Katarina then went to work on the actresses' knots.

"It is a trick I learned when I was visiting my grandparents in British India, from some of the performers in the bazaar. When you are being tied up you take a deep breath which makes your chest a lot bigger. At the same time you try to keep your wrists as far apart as you can, without it being noticed. That way the ropes are not as tight as they look, and it makes it easy to get out of them." Katarina helped Samantha to rise up, and then started looking around for something.

"Here it is my reticule. Thank goodness he didn't think to look inside it! I guess if you are going to be kidnapped it is best if it is by a crazy person." Katarina announced, as she reached inside her purse and pulled her gun out, much to Samantha's shock. She said as much, which made the Russian girl laugh, especially when the actress asked her if she really knew how to shoot.

"I have been able to shoot since I was ten, because of wolves. Now, I suggest we get out of here now, while he is gone. I presume you know your way around the city, right? I have no idea where we are." Katarina suggested, as she started walking towards the door. She halted when she heard it being opened up, and gestured to Samantha for them to climb the rickety ladder that led up to a loft that occupied half the building. They had barely made it when the door swung open and Capt. Pettit came striding into the warehouse.


	38. Chapter 38

_**Waterfront Adventures**_

Jarrod and Nick, along with Harris and a member of the San Francisco police force were examining the carriage that had been found abandoned several blocks from the waterfront. So far nothing had come to light, and Jarrod was ready to curse as loudly as Nick already was. He took several deep breaths, before he walked towards the back of the vehicle. Reaching into the pocket inside his jacket he took out a maroon and gold tin. With shaking hands he opened it and extracted a cigarillo from the container. Jarrod put the tin away, and was looking for his matches when he saw that Nick was offering him a light.

"Thank you brother Nick!" Jarrod exclaimed, after he had taken two successive puffs on the now lit cigarillo. Nick had no problems seeing the deep emotions his older brother was struggling with, and it moved him deeply. He was experiencing the same ones when he thought about Katarina, and was all set to ask his brother for one of the cigarillos when something caught his eye, on the wheel.

"Harris, Sgt. Tames, isn't that residue of crushed shells on the wheels?" Nick was looking closely at the white residue on the rear wheels. The retired Pinkerton man and the police officer came over and examined what Nick was pointing at. The residue glinted in the rare sunshine that was flooding the city on this day.

"Mr. Barkley, you're right; that is shell residue. This carriage has been somewhere in the Yerba Buena area of the waterfront. The roads in that area were recently lined with crushed shells to try to control the mud from the seeping water." Sgt. Tames informed the men, and Nick nodded his head. He had been reading about the project when they first arrived in the city.

"He would need an empty building, and there are not that many down there. Let's head over there, and I bet we can figure out which one pretty easily." Harris stated, running down recent business activity in that area. He was very aware that pirates in San Francisco often times wore fine broadcloth suits and spoke with well modulated accents. He maintained that he learned more about crime by reading the financial section of the newspaper than anywhere else.

Once they arrived in the Yerba Buena area it didn't take them long to see that only three warehouses were unoccupied, based upon the condition of their docks. The city was a port town, and if a ship couldn't dock and unload there would be no merchandise to sell. Sgt. Tames had acquired several more police officers and they quickly searched the two warehouses nearest to them first.

They then slowly approached the last warehouse with a dock in disrepair, coming from the sides of the structure. All the men were taking aback to see a confederate officer approach the front door of the structure. His pale hair shone in the setting sun, as it glinted off of the gilt insignia of his uniform. Jarrod now had his worst fears confirmed about Samantha's stalker, and he groaned.

Nick heard his brother's response, and squeezed his arm, before drawing his gun that he'd brought with him. Both Barkley brothers were all set to rush the man, but Harris held them back with a warning look.

"Look, we take him down now and all we have is that he is looking at waterfront property wearing a rebel uniform; none of which is a crime. Sit tight, and let's follow him to see what he does." The retired agent told them in a low voice, and Nick saw the counsel in what he was saying. Jarrod however was all set to throw caution to the wind, until his brother physically restrained him. At the back of Nick's mind was the thought that if he had to be the voice of reason, his older brother must love Samantha greatly.

The grey clad figured opened the door and strode inside, not shutting it behind him. The men, led by Jarrod and Nick stealthily followed the man's path, until the brothers were just inside the opening. What the confederate officer did next left them puzzled, and even more worried about the women.

"I am back, and now." Capt. Pettit's voice stopped in mid-sentence as he looked at the wooden post in the center of the room. There was nothing there but some discarded ropes, which enflamed the already angry man. He almost jumped over to the post, and picked up the ropes as if trying to figure out what had happened.

"You lying traitorous bitch, you will not escape me!" The uniformed man exclaimed, as Nick and Jarrod looked at each other in questioning glances. None of this was making any sense, and they both wondered where the women had gone.

"No, you are the traitor, and you won't escape us!" Nick was madder than he'd ever been, and scared to death about Katarina. He was also scared at how Jarrod was acting, and obviously the grey clad man knew where the women were.

Captain Reginald Pettit, 2nd Mississippi Regiment, Virginia Military Institute class of 1858, and one of the few survivors of the siege of Vicksburg was not a man to quake in fear. He took one look at Nick Barkley, walking boldly into the warehouse, his six shooter drawn, and knew a threat one he saw one. The ex-confederate drew out his colt revolver and leveled it at Nick's chest.

However, before he or Nick could pull the trigger of their guns Capt. Pettit crumpled over as blood oozed from his mouth. The man looked shocked at what had happened, before he died in front of Nick. The tall man looked up to see where the bullet had come from and saw his wife standing there in her cream, beige, and brown plaid dress with its ruffled bustle. Katarina had her gun and a cool expression on her face.

"Oh god, are you all right sugar?" Nick raced up to her and clasped her in his arms, and she sagged against him gratefully. His hands were stroking her shoulders and back, making sure she was safe with him.

"I was so scared of what he was going to do to you! What the fuck were you thinking charging in here like some one man army?" Katarina was relieved that Nick was safe, but appalled at the risk he was taking with his life.

"Now wait a minute Katarina! I'm not the one who snuck up in back of an armed man; he could have turned on you without a second thought." Nick pulled her closer to him, as she nuzzled against his neck suddenly wanting him next to her.

While Nick and Katarina were having their discussion the other men rushed into the warehouse, with Jarrod leading the way. He had pulled his revolver out, and was set to use it when he saw someone descend from the ladder. Recognizing Samantha right away he rushed over to her and pulled her into his arms. Harris and the other men scouted the barn to make sure that everything was secured. Once the ladies had calmed down, they told their story. Everyone but Nick was agog at what Katarina had done, shooting the man like she'd had. The story of how she'd escaped from the ropes also intrigued them.

"Honestly, why are you Americans surprised that a woman has a gun and knows how to shoot it?" Katarina asked in an aggrieved tone as they all regarded her with wide eyes. Nick almost wanted to laugh at how she looked standing there, in her feminine outfit, with the amber jewelry and feathered hat. He liked the fact that for all of her ruffles she was strong and tough; a fitting wife for him he decided with a satisfied smile.

Harris was trying to stay focused on the dead body, and not the handgun that Mrs. Nicholas Barkley was holding. He recognized it as one of the new designs from the German armaments firm of Krupp. Finally personal curiosity overcame him; after all the dead man wasn't going anywhere.

"Mrs. Barkley, is that the handgun with the overdrive mechanism that Krupp just developed?" Harris smiled winningly at the woman as he asked his question, while Nick rolled his eyes. Only the thought that the retired agent had provided good service, once again, for the Barkley's kept him from the remarks he wanted to make.

"Yes, it is! Are you aware of the design, Mr.? I don't think I've had the pleasure." Katarina beamed at the man, who kept a respectful distance from the couple. He knew all about Nick Barkley and didn't want to cross the man. Harris wasn't surprised that the tall dark cowboy was married a woman who carried a gun, and knew how to use it. You couldn't be a shrinking violet if you were married to that man.

"It's Harris, Ma'am, Phillip Harris. I used to work for the Pinkerton Agency, and part of my job was to know about guns. Would you mind if I looked at it?" He decided to push his luck, as Nick Barkley was too busy paying attention to his wife, he hoped, to take offense. Katarina passed the gun to him, and he started examining it carefully. Nick for his part was so relieved that she was in his arms, and as he looked at her he started kissing her deeply.

Jarrod still had Samantha in his arms, and as he held her trembling body close to him, he realized how close he'd come to losing her. "Are you all right? He didn't hurt you?" He had so many more questions to ask, but knew they would have to wait. There was one thing though that wasn't going to wait "Samantha, I love you so much!" Jarrod whispered in her ear, and was all set to kiss her when he became aware that Sgt. Tames was standing there, waiting to ask something.

"Miss St. Claire do you know this man? What was this about?" The police officer asked, and Samantha was all set to say something but Jarrod squeezed her shoulder.

"Miss St. Claire approached me a month ago; about a problem she was having with a stalker. She was concerned because she had dealt with a similar issue over five years ago, in New Orleans, when she was working on the stage there." Jarrod paused, and Samantha understood what he was doing, so she nodded her head in agreement.

"There had been a number of letters stating that the man was her only admirer, and if she didn't admit that he would harm her. I brought Agent Harris in, to try to find the man discretely. Miss St. Claire was concerned about the publicity, and we had not gone to the police because no crime had really been committed." Jarrod thought the explanation sounded plausible, and a deranged fan was an easy sell.

"So this man saw you in New Orleans, and fell in love with you? I imagine that he was probably mentally affected by the war, and would be prone to delusions. What a sad end for a brave solider, even if he fought for the other side." Sgt. Tames summarized the story, glad that it was ending so easily. He glanced over at the well dressed woman who had shot the man, still impressed at how coolly she had fired the fancy gun.

Katarina looked over at Samantha and saw how pale and shaken she still was, and decided she needed to get out of here. "May I take Samantha back to her house, while you gentlemen finish up here?" She asked the police officer, who nodded his head as he said it was a good idea.

"Samantha, I'll come see you when we are done here." Jarrod told her in a low tone, thinking it was for the best. She didn't look good, and he was sure the warehouse and the dead body weren't helping. For her part she was trying to both process what Catherine had done, and the fact that Jarrod had told her that he loved her.

"Mr. Harris, may I have my gun?" Katarina had walked up to the agent and flashed her dimple at him, which caused his heart to race slightly. He concentrated on the gun he was holding, fingering it one last time before he returned it to her.

"Thank for letting me see it, Mrs. Barkley. I've read about the fine quality of Krupp pieces, but have never had the pleasure of seeing one in person. They are very hard to come by." Phillip Harris sighed, before he regarded the woman "It is a pleasure to meet a woman such as you, Mrs. Barkley." He took her gloved hand and bowed as he kissed it. She was the most amazing woman he had met, and the trick with the ropes was one he would have to remember.

Nick was watching the performance with narrowed eyes, as the agent almost preened for Katarina. The only thing that was keeping him from punching the man out was the surprise at seeing the normally taciturn, serious man smiling happily. His wife laughed lightly, as she extracted her hand from the agent.

"I have a contact in Germany who can get guns from Krupp. I'm so grateful for what you did today, to help us, that I will be glad to order a handgun for you, Mr. Harris." Katarina flashed her dimple again, and Nick could almost see the man turning to mush in front of his eyes. He decided that his wife was a dangerous woman, even without a gun.

The police officers had found a carriage to take the women home, and Katarina was holding Samantha tightly. She was getting very concerned about the woman, because she was still trembling and had not said a word. An idea came to her, and she reached into her reticule and took out her flask, which she passed to the actress. Samantha stared at her, not knowing what was happening, until Katarina told her to drink some.

"Ah, ga, ah! What is that stuff?" Samantha's eyes were watering, and her throat was burning, as the liquid made its way down her throat. Katarina was relieved to see Samantha joining the living again, and smiled at her.

"Vodka, of course! Sorry, I should have warned you but I figured anything alcoholic would probably work." Katarina explained, before she asked "How are you doing? I'm taking you to your house, and you can get into bed and rest. I have to say that I'm ready for a rest too; I am tired again!"

Samantha remembered her earlier thought, in the tea room at Gump's, and was appalled at how she had risked Jarrod's sister-in-law's life. She started to shake, as Katarina put her arms around the woman. They arrived at the actress' house, and Piers and Elyse were waiting for them. Katarina followed them upstairs, and waited while Samantha changed and slipped into bed.

"Catherine, did you really kill that man?" Samantha had been reviewing everything that had happened in the warehouse. She had watched the Russian girl do what she did, but it seemed more like something that happened on stage, than in real life.

"Yes, Samantha I did. He was going to kill Nicholas, you, and me if he wasn't stopped. You saw his eyes, the man wasn't sane." Katarina responded in a matter of fact tone; the thought of her husband lying there dead flashed in front of her eyes. The actress looked at the young woman sitting with her and saw a determination there, to protect her loved ones. Samantha realized that when the Russian girl had said she'd understood the actress' actions, about what she'd done, she had meant it. She knew that Catherine would never judge her, and that they would become very good friends.

"Thank you, thank you for everything Catherine. I risked your life, and you are still talking to me!" Samantha was blown away by the girl's gestures and kindness toward her. Katarina giggled, and looked at Samantha from under her eyelashes.

"Well, I certainly want to be friends with the woman that Jarrod is in love with!" Katarina replied with a smile. Samantha looked at her with wide eyes, and then she remembered what Jarrod had told her in the warehouse. "Don't worry, I am not going to pry, but I will say some prayers for you!" The Russian added with a tilt to her head.

Before Samantha could reply they heard heavy footsteps on the stairs, and Jarrod was standing in the doorway to her room. Katarina smiled a knowing smile, as she stood up to leave.

"Jarrod, I'm going to say good night because I am tired. Is Nicholas downstairs?" She inquired of her brother-in-law, who nodded his assent, but didn't say anything else. He was too busy looking at Samantha, sitting up in bed with her dark hair loose, wearing a nightgown of thin white lawn with lace trim. Her skin glowed warm pink through the white material, and Jarrod hoped that he would be able to keep his desire under control.

Katarina went downstairs where Nicholas waiting the hallway; she rushed into his arms. He swept her up, and started kissing her like they'd been apart for days. She moved against him, wanting his body close to hers, and as she felt his warmth she burst into tears, not understanding why.

"Sugar, it's fine, you're all right, and I am here! Nothing is going to harm you, don't worry." He stroked her hair, as her tears made the front of his shirt wet. Katarina felt like a wave of exhaustion had washed over her, but now being with Nicholas she started to feel better.

"Oh Nicholas, I love you! I don't know why I cried liked that; I never cry." Katarina wondered what was going on with her body, especially when she started feeling something else.

"I am really hungry Nicholas! Can we go back to the hotel and eat, before we go up to our room?" Katarina asked, feeling ravenous all of a sudden. Nick gave her one of his big grins as he teased her.

"Now Darling, what do you want to do in our room?" He replied, which made Katarina giggle, before she whispered something in his ear. "I like the way you think my dear!" Nick responded, as they started walking towards the door.

"Do you know what I want to eat?" Katarina turned to look at him, a delighted smile on her face. He tilted his head, and she announced "A big thick steak, nice and juicy, with some potatoes!" Nick laughed loudly, as he put his arm around her.

"Katarina, you are starting to sound like an American! I think I'm having a good influence on you!" Nick declared, and they left the house laughing.

Meanwhile, upstairs Jarrod had entered Samantha's room, making a point to leave the door open to guard against temptation. He sat down on the bed and put his arms around her, as she snuggled into his chest. Her hair smelled like roses, and he buried his face in the side of her, enjoying the scent. Samantha's body was soft and inviting, and before he could help himself he was lightly kissing her jaw line before he found her lips.

Samantha felt his lips against hers, as lighting flashes hit her body, and when his tongue licked, then sucked her lower one, they parted with no hesitation. Her mouth welcomed his tongue's explorations, following it around before she returned the favor to him. Jarrod moaned as her tongue invaded his mouth, while her body started moving against his in the age old dance of love.

He kept on kissing her, while moving his hands to her lush body with its well developed curves. One of his hands glided over her stomach before his fingers trailed up to the valley between her breasts. Jarrod could feel their roundness, as he let the hand cup the underside of one of the tempting globes. By now he had moved his kisses to her neck, where he was nipping and licking the delicate skin. It was the strangled mewling sound that she made that made him realize he needed to stop now.

It took every ounce of control he had ever exercised, but he pulled back, breathing hard as he did so. Jarrod almost lost it though when she whimpered as he pulled away, and only when he looked to the nightstand could he keep his resolve. There was a picture of her son, in his school uniform, and he remembered her telling him at their first meeting that she had never had another illicit relationship because she wanted the boy to be proud of her.

"Samantha, we need to stop now, so I can keep my good intentions! I respect you too much to put you in a comprising position." Jarrod declared, sitting back slightly, but taking her hands in his. She looked at him with wonder and awe, as he made his statement. She wasn't sure what to say next, thinking about what he had told her in the warehouse, but he started talking again.

"Nick is hoping that I will bring you to the party he is throwing for Catherine next month, at the ranch. It is some Russian holiday, but between the two of us, Brother Nick likes to throw parties." Jarrod stopped and watched her closely as he finished up "I am sure that Catherine would like you to come too!"

Samantha process what Jarrod was saying, and what he was offering, but she wanted to be sure. "Jarrod, you said something to me at the warehouse; did you mean it?" She queried, hoping that it wasn't just the heat of the moment that had prompted him to say what he had.

"Oh, that I love you?" Jarrod replied in a soft voice, and then "Samantha I love you so much, I don't think you can fathom it. I have wanted to say something before today, but I was afraid you wouldn't feel the same way. My dear, when I thought that I might never see you again my world went dark!" He reached over and carefully kissed her on the forehead, not trusting himself to do more.

She had a thought, about what had happened today, and knew she had to tell the noble man sitting across from her. "Jarrod, Catherine knows the whole story." Samantha paused, and he looked at her with questioning eyes as she continued "Not that we were pretending to be going out, but about my past history and Peter Talbot." She hung her head sadly, wishing the sordid story had not come out.

"What was Catherine's response to the revelations?" Jarrod asked slowly, hoping that he knew his sister-in-law as well as he did.

"She told me that I had done the right thing, and that my son was lucky I was his mother." Samantha stated, as she started to tear up again. "Jarrod, I love you so much, but can you overlook my past?" She was terrified that at the end of the day her blotted copybook would always be against her.

"Catherine is a very intelligent woman, and I agree with her assessment of you. You took care of your son, as well as Piers and Elyse. Samantha, they could have stayed in New Orleans, but they followed you because of the person you are." Jarrod had spent some time talking to Piers and knew that the couple was devoted to Samantha.

"Jarrod, you still love me after all this? You are the most wonderful, good man I have ever met! I love you so much!" She exclaimed, looking at him with love. That look was enough to start Jarrod's control slipping, and he decided to lighten the mood.

"You know, I really don't see Catherine passing judgment on you, after she shot a man in cold blood. That is some gun she has, according to Harris." Jarrod observed, thinking about his sister-in-law taking down Pettit. "My brother has his hands full with that one, let me tell you!"

Samantha thought about the Russian girl in her finery, as she escaped being tied up, before she shot their attacker. She remembered the flask of vodka that had been in the reticule; the same reticule that held the gun. She was sure that nothing daunted the young woman, and Samantha was in awe of what Catherine had accomplished.

"I think you are right, your brother does have his hands full, but I don't think he would want it any other way!" Samantha exclaimed, before she yawned and looked at Jarrod. "I need to get some sleep, but I will tell you now that I would like to go to the party at your family's ranch, Jarrod. Thank you and I love you!" Jarrod kissed her lightly on the lips, and then said goodnight, going home a happy, but slightly frustrated man.


	39. Chapter 39

_**Down by the River**_

It was early on a Saturday evening and Heath Barkley was at loose ends, which would have surprised a lot of people. As the most eligible bachelor in the valley, and one of most eligible bachelors in the state, it wasn't for a lack of opportunities. There were two parties he'd been invited to at outlying ranches, a supper dance at a shipping magnate's townhome, as well as a barn dance at the fairgrounds. Of course, if he didn't want such respectable entertainment, there were always the saloons with the fun loving girls.

Heath though was having enough of a dilemma with two women, and didn't think he needed to add another one to the mix. The day after he'd met Lily he had found himself back at the ship's chandler shop. One of the spools of rope was the wrong kind, so it needed to be returned, which he did in person. He was the only one there for a while, so he had the chance to spend time with Lily. She was as pretty, nice, and funny as he remembered, and it had been on the tip of his tongue to ask her out. Heath was stopped by the vision of Susannah's woebegone face, in his mind.

He wasn't sure why that stopped him, because he had not made any promises to her about their relationship. However, Heath felt bad for Susannah being all alone, and grieving for her mother. The pain was still fresh, he was sure; remembering the first couple of months after his mother had passed away. Heath gave the matter a lot of thought, and decided that for the time being he really wouldn't see either one of them. Doing that, he reasoned, would give Susannah the chance to grieve, and Lily the chance to get used to Stockton.

However, the following Sunday his plan went out the window, because of Nick and Catherine. They had arrived back from San Francisco several days earlier, in good spirits. The riverboat casino had been great, and Heath was sorry he had missed the chance to spend time with both his brothers. Nick and Catherine also had lots to say about Jarrod's girl friend, all of it complimentary. From what Heath could tell, it sounded like Samantha and Catherine were already good friends. It bothered him because he couldn't see Catherine and Susannah ever having that kind of relationship.

Nick also detailed the party he was going to give for Catherine next month, for some Russian occasion. Victoria and Audra were both excited when Catherine said that Jarrod was bringing Samantha to the party. The thought of the party annoyed Heath, not because he begrudged his sister-in-law the event, but because of the guest list. Nick had taken Heath aside the next morning, and reminded him that Susannah was not welcome, and not to bring her to the house.

Heath had been tempted to retort that it was his house too, and he could bring who he wanted. What stopped him though was knowing that his brother was making the statement because of Susannah's behavior toward Catherine. He knew that Nick was besotted with his wife, and thought she walked on water; therefore everyone should think the same thing. Coupled that with his brother's pride toward anything connected to the Barkley's, and Heath knew it was a battle he wasn't going to win. Neither was he sure he really wanted to fight it on Susannah's behalf, which gave him pause to think about his feelings.

It was the Sunday after Nick and Catherine were back, and Heath had stopped to talk to a friend of his, after the service let out. Heath finished up and was walking across the yard when Catherine hailed him over to where she was standing, with Nick. He remembered several weeks earlier, when he'd been talking with Susannah and how Nick took Catherine's arm and walked right by them, without an acknowledgment. Heath was tempted for a minute to return the favor, but the urge faded, both because it was petty and it would be unfair to Catherine.

When he arrived at the group, he saw that Lily was there with her Aunt and Uncle, and the group was laughing at a story Nick was telling. Heath remembered that his brother was good friends with the Clarks, and from what he could see it seemed that Catherine and Lily were friends also. His sister-in-law was all set to introduce him, but he commented that they had met already at the shop.

Heath spent the next half hour chatting with the group, enjoying a story Lily told about St. Louis, and telling one of his own adventures from his past. It was good to laugh, and Lily was an excellent story teller he found out. The Clark's were good people, very down to earth and kind. He also enjoyed spending time with his brother, and feeling a closeness he had not felt for a while. The whole experience would have been perfect if not for what happened at the end, as everyone was saying goodbye.

Something caught his attention, out of the corner of his eye, and he turned slightly to see what it was. Susannah was standing in the churchyard all by herself, dressed in a tired, faded black dress. She was looking at him with hurt in her hazel eyes and a tight expression on her lips. Heath didn't mean to, but he found himself comparing her to Lily, who was dressed in yellow and blue, laughing at something that had been said. When he looked a second time Susannah was gone, and he felt like he had done something wrong, but wasn't sure what.

The guilt he felt had stayed with him, so on one of his trips into town he had stopped by the schoolhouse, to see her. Susannah didn't say anything about the churchyard incident, but did invite him over for the following Saturday afternoon. Heath offered to take her somewhere, but she declined, citing the fact that she was in mourning.

He wished she wasn't such a stickler about that, because it made it hard to do anything with her. The other two times they had done things together, had been picnics like the first time. Heath tried to convince her that it was fine to go out to eat, but she didn't agree with him. Not only was it the matter of her being in mourning, but she also thought it wasteful to spend money on eating out. Heath couldn't fault her frugality, but wanted to point out that it wasn't her money they would be spending. He also wondered if not wanting to go out was tied into how shy she was, and her dislike of public settings.

The upshot was that he presented himself at her house that Saturday afternoon, and was shown into the front parlor. They spent the afternoon working on a jigsaw puzzle and talking, while Dean Alderson sat in the corner. He was reading some large book, but spent a lot of the time asleep in the rocking chair. After they had tea Susannah invited him to stay for dinner, but he declined, saying he needed to get back to the ranch.

That was not true, but Heath had had enough of the cold, dismal parlor of the Alderson's house. He thought it interesting that even though it was August, and it was extremely hot outside he didn't find the room a relief. Rather, the coldness in the room was almost one of spirit, emanating from the stiff furniture, the drawn heavy drapes, and the lack of comfort.

It was apparent that Susannah was disappointed that he wasn't going to stay, once again leaving him with the feeling of having done something to hurt her. Heath especially felt that way after she'd made the comment on how she appreciated his company, because he was her only friend in Stockton. He really wished she would not have said that, because it made him feel like he was boxed into a corner with her.

Heath decided that it was probably unfair to blame the decorating, or lack thereof, for his being at loose ends now. He turned his horse into town as he thought that, not really wanting to go back to the ranch. Nick and Catherine were having some people over tonight, several couples they knew well, that Heath also was friends with. He would be welcomed, but didn't want to spend the evening being reminded that he wasn't part of a couple.

Deciding that he needed to eat he headed over to the Italian restaurant that he liked so well. Heath remembered taking Susannah there, but she had not liked the food. He knew it would be warm and cheerful, and the thought of the flavorful food spurred him on. Walking into the restaurant did not disappointment him, from the red and white checkered tablecloths to the candles on the table. When he arrived he was surprised to see Lily, and the Clark's just sitting down to eat. They saw Heath, and Marcus Clark waved him over to their table.

"Heath, good to see you! Are you here for dinner?" Marcus asked, after everyone had said hello, and Heath nodded his head.

"Would you like to join us? We have an extra chair, and would enjoy the company." Anne Clark asked, gesturing to the empty chair opposite Lily. The girl, and Marcus seconded the idea, and Heath found himself sitting down with them.

"I'm happy you are joining us, Heath! We just received letters from my brother and cousin, which talk about their travels." Lily offered, as she smiled happily at Heath. He looked at her inquiringly, not sure who she was referring to.

"My son, Marcus Jr., and Lily's oldest brother Eric are working on a freighter that is going around the world." Mr. Clark explained, going on "Best training for knowing what a ship needs is to spend time working on one. Right now, the boys just left the Philippines, and are heading to Australia and New Zealand."

Heath commented that it sounded interesting, and he could see Marcus' point about the need to spend time on a ship if you wanted to know what to sell. The Clark's and Lily both told him some of the adventures the boys had experienced while in port. He thought it sounded very exotic and exciting, and was sure that the young men were having the time of their lives. It impressed him that their families understood the need for the young men to get out and see the world. Heath had seen too many young men being stymied in that desire, which only led to trouble.

He thought of something else, and turned to Lily asking "Don't you have another brother also?" She was just taking a sip of her wine, which she swallowed before answering.

"Yes, Stephen; he is at the naval academy. We were all so proud when he was accepted, especially my father. Not only would Stephen be an officer, but he was getting his education completely paid for too!" Lily replied, beaming with delight at her brother's accomplishment. Heath could understand why she would feel that way, and he was sure that the boy must be very smart to have made it into the program.

The food came, and Heath couldn't help noticing how eagerly Lily dug into her dish, which had pasta in a spicy tomato sauce. The garlic bread was passed around, and the wine glasses were refilled with Chianti that went perfectly with the food. Over dinner Heath was asked about his travels, so he told them some of the places he'd been, and the kinds of work he'd done. Marcus was especially impressed that he had been willing to do anything, making the comment that it had all been good training for the ranch he was sure.

Heath felt very comfortable with the Clark's and their outlook on life, while Lily was cheerful and easy going. He also noticed how the lavender dress, with the cream colored trim fit her figure nicely. She was of medium height, and slender, but with curves in the right places. Her personality and dress reminded him of a butterfly in the spring, and he smiled as he thought of it.

After the meal was done, they had some coffee and talked about what was happening in Stockton. Heath realized that this had been the best evening he'd spent in a long time, and he didn't want it to end. Luckily, Anne Clark helped him out by her suggestion.

"You young people should go over to the park and enjoy the breeze coming off the river. It is a beautiful evening, and still light outside." She commented, and Heath looked at Lily to see what she thought of the idea.

"That sounds like fun! Heath do you want to?" Lily asked him, and he said he would like to. In his opinion, the evening became even better than it was before. The park was across the street from the restaurant, so the strolled over to the entrance and entered the grounds. The paths meandered through formal gardens, and flowering shrubs, while the sky overhead was pink from the setting sun.

"Let's sit here for bit; I love the view of the river." Lily announced after a bit, when they arrived a bench that offered an overlook of the water. They sat together and Heath had the strongest desire to put his arm around her, but resisted. Instead he asked her about her life in St. Louis, and listened to what she had to say. He was very curious about something, and finally decided to ask what he wanted to. Lily didn't seem the type to get upset, he reasoned.

"Would you mind if I asked you a personal question, Lily?" He turned to look at her as he asked, admiring her heart shaped face and the eyes that changed from blue to green, and back again.

"No, I won't mind at all! I am not a very complicated person, so if it is something deep you might be disappointed." Lilly answered, while feeling her heart drop to her knees. It had been so much fun to be with Heath, who seemed to like her just as she was, and she was afraid that it was all going to come to an end. She was aware that she wasn't a deep thinker, or a great reader, being very content to take things as they were.

"Do you have any beaux waiting for you back in St. Louis?" Heath found it hard to believe that someone like her didn't have at least one admirer. He watched as a look of sadness crossed her face, and he was afraid that he'd said something wrong. Heath started to take back the question, but she held her hand up, to stop him.

"Heath, it's fine; you didn't do anything wrong. Everything is still kind of fresh, but it gets easier each day." Lily put her hand on his arm, and smiled at him. He liked the way her hand felt, and he wished his sleeves were rolled up, so it would be resting on his skin.

"Did you lose someone you loved?" Heath inquired gently, feeling bad for the girl. He was taken aback when she responded by bursting into laughter and shaking her head.

"I'm sorry; I shouldn't laugh but the circumstances, and your question!" Lily took a deep breath, and squeezed his arm before she started to talk. "Heath, I was engaged to be married before I came out here. I thought we were happy, but he came to see me the morning of our wedding and told me that he didn't love me, and couldn't go through with the wedding."

Heath's eyes widened as he processed what she had just told him, about what had happened. He thought it sounded like an extreme reaction for a case of cold feet, and who wouldn't want to marry someone as pretty and cheerful as Lily. He said as much to her, and she sighed as she shrugged her shoulders.

"It seems that he had been having those feelings for quite a while, but had not wanted to say anything to me. He was concerned about hurting my feelings, and he had been sure that it would all work out." Lily explained simply, as she looked off at the river. She noticed that the sky had darkened, and a rising moon was being reflected in the slow moving water.

"When it happened I was devastated, and embarrassed by the whole thing. I also felt bad for my parents, who had spent all that time planning the wedding. They were the ones who came up with the idea for me to come to Stockton, to get away from all the talk in St. Louis." Lily told him in a low voice, as she went on "The trip out was good because it gave me a lot of time to think about everything, and I realize now that it was for the best, that I didn't marry him."

"Lily, I was thinking that but didn't want to say so. What made you decide that?" Heath was very curious about how she had reached that conclusion.

"It came to me that the man was a coward and a liar too. I mean, we went out for over a year, and were engaged for almost another year. At any point he could have said something, instead of letting things progress as far as they did. He lied to me about his feelings, and couldn't be honest with me either. Finally, he embarrassed me and my family because of it. How he thought it was kinder to wait until the morning of our wedding I don't know!" Lily sounded mad about the matter now, which made Heath smile. He liked the fact that she was smart enough to see the young man for what he was, and spirited enough to get mad about it.

"I think you have the right attitude about the whole thing Lily! So you will be in Stockton for a while?" Heath asked her, and she regarded him with interest.

"Yes, for a while. I have no desire to return to St. Louis any time soon, as you can imagine. I really like it here too, everyone has been very friendly." Lily left it hanging out there, hoping he was asking for the reason she thought it might be. When he'd come by the shop the second time she was sure that he was going to ask her out, and she had been disappointed when he hadn't.

"Listen, I'm leaving in two days, to go round up our cattle from the summer pasture and bring them down to the ranch. I'll be gone for almost three weeks, but when I return would you go with me, just the two of us? I'd like to get to know you better, if you think you are ready." Heath didn't want to rush her, but he also didn't want to lose his opportunity.

Her story was the gate that got him out of the corner he felt boxed in with Susannah. Heath realized that he was doing the same thing to Susannah that Lily's fiancée had done to her. Not for the same reason of course, the end result was the same. He was being dishonest about his feelings, thinking it would spare the girl getting hurt. However, it was just letting Susannah build up hope in her mind, instead of getting on with her life.

Heath felt bad for her losing her mother, but that wasn't enough to build a relationship on. She had made it clear that she wasn't comfortable with, and didn't care for, his lifestyle or friends. The kindest thing he could do for her was to stop leading her on. There was also the fact that he was very attracted to Lily, and had already seen how much more compatible they were. Heath had spent enough time being lonely and sad to know that having someone to laugh with was very important.

"Heath, I would like that! I have to confess I've been hoping you would ask me." Lily told him honestly, and he liked how she didn't feel the need to play games or act all coy. She was direct, and would appreciate him being the same way. Heath took her hand, and brought it up to her lips to kiss it, hoping the three weeks would go quickly. The moonlight cast a golden glow around the park, as it watched them overhead.

Lily and Heath didn't know it, but the moon wasn't the only one watching them. Susannah, after Heath had left the house had heated up some soup for her and her father. Afterwards she tried to read, but was still disappointed that Heath hadn't stayed for dinner. She found it frustrating how he behaved, and wished she could get him away from the bad influence of his family. Feeling restless she decided to go for a walk in the park, to enjoy the breeze.

She had just rounded a curve when she saw Heath sitting on a bench with a reddish haired woman, wearing a lavender dress. Susannah was shocked, and hurt as she watched the couple sitting very close together. Heath had told her that he couldn't stay for dinner because he had to get back to the ranch, but obviously that wasn't true. Her eyes and mouth tightened as she saw the woman laid her hand on his arm, and say something. It took Susannah a minute to recognize her, but then remembered last Sunday in the churchyard.

Susannah had been waiting for Heath to come over to talk to her after the service, but was disappointed when he stopped to talk to a circle of people that included his brother and his wife. She remembered the reddish haired woman now as being part of the group, who were all laughing at something Heath's brother had said. The woman's bright yellow and blue dress had been attention getting, Susannah mused now. The fact that the woman was standing next to Catherine wasn't lost on her either and she had wondered if the two women were friends.

Coming back to the present she continued to watch the couple on the bench, wishing she was closer so she could hear what was being said. It looked like an intimate conversation, not just casual talk between friends. Susannah was having a hard time believing that Heath could be involved with the woman, but her eyes were telling her a different story. The hurt she had been feeling intensified ten times, and she had to work to hold back the tears.

Heath was her only friend, and the only one who understood what it was like to lose your mother. She had been sure that she could win him over to her way of thinking, and had prayed to God every night for help. Seeing him with a woman like the red haired one, one who stood for everything Susannah was against, made her feel like the devil had won. The final blow was when Heath took the woman's hand and brought it to his mouth to kiss it.

She stayed in the park long after the couple left, at first crying, and then praying. It came to her that God was not going to just give her what she wanted, but would expect her to work for it. Her mother had always said that being a Christian was hard work, and she saw that now. Susannah decided that she wasn't going to give up so easily on Heath, even if she had to take the other woman, and his sister-in-law on.


	40. Chapter 40

_**Thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing – I appreciate your comments and I'm glad you all like the story.**_

_**Morning Musings**_

It was a little after 4:00am when Nick slowly woke up, a little earlier than the time he normally did. Not that he crawled out of bed then, because of Katarina. He used to get up as soon as he was awake, to get down to the barn and get going. However, since mid-June he started his mornings by snuggling with her and making love to her. It was the best way to start the day, and a habit he was very used to by now.

Part of the reason he was awake earlier than usual is that he wanted to savor the way Katarina's body felt next to his. Every other year he had looked forward to the late summer round up, with the time spent sleeping outside and the camaraderie of his brother and the other men. Of course that was before he was a married man, with a beautiful, sexy wife who was as passionate as he was.

Katarina was spooned tightly against him, her soft skin warm against his, with no clothes to get in the way. They slept naked both because they liked the way their bodies felt against each other, and because Nick didn't want the bother of wrestling her out of a nightgown when he wanted to make love. He liked the fact that she was as affectionate as he was, and enjoyed physical contact with him.

The only thing that came close to the wonderful feeling of making love with her, was afterwards, when they would hold each other tight. They would talk, sometimes serious, sometimes silly, and just enjoy the feeling of being one. Nick had been with a number of women who, when they were done with sex, would jump up to go wash off, which always struck him as if they were trying to wash him off of themselves. Katarina however just snuggled right next to him, wanting to keep the connection of the lovemaking between them.

Nick knew that she liked the feeling of him as much as he liked the feeling of her against his body, no matter what. He had seen that time and again, when he would come in from working on the range or in the corals. It didn't matter how dusty or sweaty he was, Katarina was always glad to see him. She would cuddle up next to him, as he kissed her while his hands felt her soft body. Even if she was wearing some light colored lacey dress, she never said one word about the dust he brought in with him. It made him feel welcomed and appreciated for the hard work he did.

As he thought that he pulled her tighter against him, his arm over her shoulder tightening, while his leg curved tighter against hers. Nick felt her rustle slightly, as she responded to the pressure he was exerting on her.

"Mmm, good morning." Katarina murmured, feeling her husband snuggle against her. She stretched her body slightly, to position it closer against his. She felt his burgeoning erection against her rear end and she smiled happily. Nicholas woke up almost every morning, unless he'd been drinking and playing cards the night before, aroused. Even then, they would cuddle for a while, and then he'd be aroused and wanting to make love.

"Hey Sugar, what am I going to do for the next three weeks?" Nicholas whispered in her ear, before his lips sucked on her ear lobe.

"I think you are going to have a huge herd of cattle to keep you busy! You will hardly think about me!" Katarina giggled, as she moved her head to allow him more access to her neck. He moved his lips to the tender spot just below her neck, while the rough whiskers of his chin rubbed against her skin.

"Ekaterina Elizateva!" Nicholas used her Russian name "I have shared our bed for almost three months now, and the thought of you not next to me causes almost physical pain!" He slowly kissed his way down to the pulse spot on her neck, where he started licking in time to her heart beats before he nipped and sucked hard.

"Ahh, oh; what am I going to do?" Katarina sighed, feeling very aroused by him talking Russian to her. She loved how good he was with languages, and the effort he had put in to learn her native one; it brought home how wonderful he was.

"I have never not wanted to go out on roundup before, but now I just want to stay with you!" Nick could tell her this piece of information, knowing that it would go no further. His job was to run the ranch, and he was responsible for everything, but there were times when it was almost too much. He could tell her his fears, knowing that she understood where the confession came from.

"Nicholas, I will miss you so much! However, you would be miserable if you were not out there to supervise everything! It is your life, and I understand that! I will be here for you when you return!" Katarina shifted position to face him as she made her declaration. The cattle were part of his land, and she would never come between him and his land; it was who and what he was, which she respected.

Nick looked at her, her dark blond hair flowing over the pillow, while her eyes blazed sapphire fire and her pink lips smiled happily. He looked at her creamy skin, and the pink tipped breasts resting just above the sheet, and sighed. His wife loved him, his life, and understood both of them; the total acceptance washed over him in a warm glow.

"Nicholas, you and Heath need this time together too!" Katarina observed, as she nuzzled against his neck, enjoying the roughness of his early morning beard. It was casting a slight shadow on his neck and face, and she loved the way it looked. His dark hair was tousled and messy, while his scent covered them both. It was like being covered in a veil of love and protection, which she couldn't get enough of.

He was sidetracked by how good she felt, and the way she was nuzzling against him, which meant that she was very aroused. However, her comment about Heath caught his attention, and he asked her about it.

"Nicholas, Heath is not in a good place now! He is struggling with loneliness, and a need for companionship. As happy as he is for us, it has brought home how unhappy he is." Katarina shifted slightly, and moved her hand to caress Nicholas' chest, before she explained "Nikki, he needs you to talk to him! I know that we don't care for Susannah, but maybe there is something there that we don't understand."

The use of his pet name moved him, and he heard what she was doing, trying to reconcile the relationship between them. Nick had been very bothered by the events of the last month between him and Heath. He was moved at how his wife was willing to rise above the way Susannah had treated her, if it would make Heath happy. It came to him that his wife had always made the effort to go along with his family, for his sake.

"Katarina, have I told you how wonderful you are, and how much I love you? You have embraced me, my family, and my lifestyle wholeheartedly, and I will never be able to do enough to repay you!" Nick announced, feeling very humble at everything she had done. He shifted his weight, so he was on top and could look down into the dark blue eyes.

"Nikki, I love you too!" Katarina declared, as she put her arms around his waist, while her fingers stroked his rear end. She moved against him as she kissed and nuzzled his neck, while his hands did their own exploring. It didn't take long for his maleness to find her warm, welcoming wetness and he thrust deeply, as she moaned in response. As they both reached the top it came to him that they needed each other completely.

After they were done, Nicholas slowly untangled himself from her, almost groaning as he did so. It pained him to realize that it would be almost three weeks before he could feel the sweetness of her body. Katarina, because of their connection knew what he was feeling, and was holding back the tears. She knew he had to go supervise the roundup, even though her body, for so many reasons, wanted him to stay with her.

"Are you really going to come to breakfast?" Nick asked, as he adjusted the covers around Katarina. She had held fast to the routine, started when she first arrived at the ranch, of eating breakfast in their room. Nick, after his early morning on the range, and breakfast with his family, would go up to their room, to have coffee with her. She liked the peace of just the two of them in the morning, and he respected that.

Katarina looked up at him from under sultry eyes, admiring his well toned body, as he stood by the bed. "Yes, I am going to come have breakfast with you all, and to say bon voyage to you!" She declared with a happy smile, and he beamed with pleasure.

"Well, then plan on half an hour or so, Sugar, ok?" Nick affirmed, before he kissed her and left the room. Once he was gone Katarina laid there for a couple more minutes, taking some deep breaths, in preparation for getting up. She tried to move as slowly as possible, but as soon as she was sitting upright, with her feet on the ground the waves of nausea and dizziness started to hit her.

She grasped the side of the bed, muttering "Please, just let me make it though breakfast, please." She crossed herself three times in orthodox fashion, hoping that the Lord would work with her. As Katarina was trying to find her bearings, to make it to the bathroom, Nina came into the room.

"Highness, you really should rest! This isn't good for you or the mahlysh." Nina stated, but Katarina glared at her.

"Nina, I told you we won't speak of the matter yet. Now, I need to get dressed, so pick out something pretty that will put some color in my face." Katarina announced in a firm voice, and then asked "Would you make me some tea also? Hopefully that will settle my stomach." She stood up, and made her way into the bathroom, where she splashed cold water on her face and said another silent prayer.

It was almost half an hour later when Katarina walked into the dining room, willing herself not to gag at the food aromas that hit her nose. She had on a rose pink dress with a print of large white polka dots, festooned with a great deal of Point d' Angleterre lace. The warm color looked good against her skin, and she wore her triple looped pearl necklace and large pearl drop earrings.

"You look like a summer rose Catherine." Audra announced, wishing she could get her hair up as nicely as her sister-in-law always seemed to. Everyone else was already there, and Jarrod had come in from San Francisco the day before, to take care of the paperwork for moving the cattle. It was a short trip, and he would be leaving for town as soon as the boys pulled out.

Everyone chatted happily, while Katarina tried to nibble on some toast, but couldn't get it down. She pretended to drink her coffee, but the smell was causing her stomach to roil badly. Nicholas, next to her, was on his second helping of everything, as was Heath. At one point his leg brushed against hers under the table, and it made her feel slightly better.

Victoria had watched Catherine come into the dining room, and seen, just before the girl entered the room, a look of almost revulsion on her face. It surprised the older woman, and she wondered what the cause was. During the course of the meal she carefully studied Catherine, and noticed that she wasn't eating or drinking at all. Since Victoria had never had breakfast with her before, she didn't know if the Russian girl just didn't eat in the morning, or was it something else. She was suspicious though about how pale Catherine looked, in spite of the bright pink dress.

When the meal was over with, they went out to the stable yard, where the hands were assembling. Nick and Heath reviewed the map with everyone, and then it was time to say goodbye. Katarina wanted to cling to Nick, but knew that she had to be strong, as hard as it was. He kissed her long and hard, until Heath cleared his throat several times, to get his brother's attention. Everyone waved as they rode off, and Katarina was pleased that Nick's last glance at her showed her smiling happily.

By now she was feeling almost ready to faint, and was relived to head back to the house, along with everyone else. However she realized that she wasn't going to make it, and decided to go sit in the garden. She veered to the right, and followed the path to the small formal garden that flanked the side of the house. Katarina sank gratefully onto a bench that was underneath a large magnolia tree, its broad dark green leaves providing cooling shade. Leaning back against the tree she took several deep breaths.

Victoria and everyone else had just entered the house, and she looked around wondering where Catherine was. Not seeing her, she asked Jarrod and Audra if they knew.

"Mother, she said something about wanting to sit in the garden. I think she was upset about Nick, she looked rather pale, and her voice was shaky." Audra replied to her mother's query, feeling bad for her sister-in-law already missing Nick. Victoria nodded her head, and turned to go to the kitchen, while Jarrod went to the study and Audra went upstairs. However, Victoria didn't stop in the kitchen, but headed outside, to the garden area.

She saw Catherine sitting on the bench, with her head against the tree and her eyes closed. Victoria reviewed the scene at the breakfast table, and hoped she was right in her speculation. She also hoped that her daughter-in-law would not take her concern the wrong way.

"Catherine, are you all right?" Victoria came over and sat down next to the girl, who turned to look at her. Up close the pallor of her face was very apparent, and the older woman reached over and took Catherine's hands.

"My dear, you may tell me it is none of my business, and I will understand. I am only asking because I care about your greatly. Are you pregnant?" Victoria's voice was low and gentle, while her hands squeezed the other woman's hands tenderly. Catherine looked at Victoria, seeing love and concern in her eyes. It was too much for her emotions and she burst into tears, letting her head rest on Victoria's chest as she cried.

After a bit she stopped crying and looked at Victoria "I don't know why I'm crying, I'm really happy. My emotions are all over the place." The older woman laughed knowingly, and told her that was normal.

"Nick doesn't know, does he?" Victoria voiced her curiosity, being pretty sure of the answer already.

"No, he doesn't! I just figured it out several days ago, Victoria." Katarina started to explain, before she took a deep breath "I know how important this round up is for the ranch, and Nick doesn't need to be worrying about me. He has so much work to do, that he really needs to concentrate on that. Plus, it's not like his worrying would help in any way."

Victoria studied the young girl who she had her arms around, and thought about the brave performance she had put on this morning, for Nick's sake. She remembered all those months ago, when Catherine had given up the fancy party to stay home with Nick, who was exhausted from being out on the range. It was hard for her to think about how she had treated the young woman, when she'd first come to the ranch. Through it all, Catherine had never been anything other than kind and gracious, all the time loving Nick wholeheartedly. Victoria decided that she'd never been so happy to have been proven wrong.

"What you did was very generous Catherine! If Nick had known he would stayed with you." Victoria stated, knowing her son all too well. When he did find out he would be the worst combination of proud stallion and worried mother hen ever. He would also be happier than he already was, and she smiled in anticipation of his reaction. Nick was a man who was meant to have a large family, and she looked with love at the woman who was going to give that to him.

"Victoria, I love him and I'm not going to come between him and the ranch!" Catherine announced, and then she laughed as she added "Plus, I hope that by the time he gets back I'm done with the morning sickness!" The older woman gave her another hug, and asked her when she was due.

"Probably late April, if I have calculated right. But Victoria, would you mind not saying anything to anyone else? I want to tell Nick first." Catherine pleaded, and the older woman said she understood. They talked a little longer, than Victoria walked with her into the house, and she watched Catherine walk up the stairs. The rest of the day she had a happy smile on her face, even though no one knew why.


	41. Chapter 41

_**Round Up**_

Susannah was working with Audra at the orphanage, hoping to find out what she wanted to know. She had originally volunteered to work there because of Heath, and his comment that she needed to get more involved in the community. The orphanage had the benefit of working with kids, something she was comfortable with. It also wasn't lost on her that his sister was heavily involved in the charity too.

Audra had always been kind and welcoming to her, and Susannah wondered what she'd been told about the 4th of July dinner. She still almost cringed when she thought about the whole evening, especially how loud Nick was, and the condescending question that Catherine had asked her. Heath might think his sister-in-law was only trying to be polite, but a woman knew when another woman was looking down her nose at her. Now, after having seen the reddish haired woman with Heath, Susannah was sure that Catherine was against her.

It took Susannah until the following Sunday, after she'd seen Heath in the park, to find out who the woman was. She figured that since she'd not seen the woman around town, she would have to wait for church to get her curiosity satisfied. She made it a point to arrive at church a little early, and position herself so she could see who walked in with who to the building. She achieved that by visiting the graveyard, which adjoined the church. To anyone watching she appeared to be sitting by her mother's grave, but the bench gave her a perfect line of site to the doors of the church. Susannah saw the reddish haired young woman arrive at the church, with an older couple that she assumed were the girl's parents.

After the service she spoke to the church secretary, under the guise of asking about flowers for her mother's grave. Susannah managed to bring the conversation around to the reddish haired woman, by commenting on how pretty her dress was. That part was true, and the dress in a pale green with a print of pink and yellow flowers, ornamented with dark green ribbon, was very becoming to the girl's coloring.

The church secretary was more than happy to tell Susannah what she wanted to know. The woman said the girl's name was Lily Clark, she was from St. Louis, and was out here visiting her aunt and uncle. Susannah also learned about the Clark's, and the fact they owned the largest ship's chandler shop outside of San Francisco. It bothered her when older woman let drop the fact that the Clark chandler shop was the exclusive supplier to the shipping line that the Barkley's held the majority ownership in. Susannah was sure that Heath's family would prefer him to be with someone like Lily, rather than her.

While her curiosity was being answered about Lily, there was the matter that Nick and Heath were not at church. Susannah had not seen Heath all week leading up to church, and she had been wondering if he was avoiding her. She was still hurt that he had lied to her about his plans that Saturday night, but she consoled herself with thinking that his family had probably set the date up with Lily. If they had not interfered, Susannah was sure that Heath would have stayed for dinner with her.

She had almost decided to forget about going to the orphanage, but then decided that she could use the opportunity to get information about Heath from Audra. Most of the time had been spent with the kids, doing various activities with them, which didn't give her the chance to talk to Audra. Now though, the kids were resting and reading, and she was helping Heath's sister inventory the linen closet. Things improved even more when Audra gave her the opening she was looking for.

"Susannah, I really appreciate you helping me with this. No one else really wants to spend time here unfortunately. My mother will sometimes, but she is usually busy with house stuff." Audra sighed, as she examined a sheet to see what condition it was in.

"Isn't Catherine available?" Susannah asked, privately thinking the Russian girl was probably too busy fussing with her clothes to do anything else. She made it a point to keep her voice neutral though, because the woman was Audra's sister-in-law.

"Catherine works almost full-time at the blending house, in the winery. She supervises the vineyard, and all the treatments the grapes need. They are very high maintenance plants in the spring, and now that harvest is coming she'll have to oversee that work too." Audra explained, as she folded the sheet, going on "She knows all about grapes from her family's estate in the Crimea, and Nick was glad that she was willing to help out."

Susannah was more impressed than she had thought she would be, finding out that the spoiled princess did some actual work. She remembered the woman's comments about the wine, on the 4th of July, and now knew why she had made them. Susannah still didn't approve of drinking, and it bothered her that Heath's family made money from the production of alcohol. She would put a stop to Heath taking any of that money, if she had her way.

Putting that thought aside, she focused on what she was hoping to find out, about Heath. "I noticed that your brothers were not at church last Sunday; were they busy on the ranch?" Susannah tried to keep her voice casual, not wanting the other woman to know just how curious she really was.

Audra heard the question, and her heart sank while she pondered her answer. She had heard all about the 4th of July dinner, and Nick's admonishment to Heath about Susannah. Audra also remembered the tea party, and how badly that had turned out. At the time she'd blamed it on Susannah's mother, but after hearing about the dinner she had come back to her original thought, that the girl and Heath really had nothing in common. Audra had seen though how the girl looked at her brother, and it made her feel sad for Susannah.

"They left almost a week earlier, to go round up the cattle from the summer pasture. They will be gone for probably another two weeks or so." Audra decided to stick to basic facts, and maybe Susannah would draw the obvious conclusion. In her mind, if a young man she'd been seeing left for several weeks, without saying goodbye, it would be a clear declaration of his feelings, or lack thereof.

Susannah was taken aback to hear that Heath had left without saying goodbye to her. She felt the hurt hit her, the same hurt she'd felt when she'd seen Heath sitting on the bench with Lily Clark. A bitter look crossed her face as she wondered if he had told the red haired girl that he would be gone for three weeks. Susannah didn't know it, but her feelings were very apparent on her face, and Audra was surprised at the unpleasant look the girl had. It was a mixture of bitterness, hate, and spite, which were things she would never have thought a quiet girl like Susannah would harbor. It worried her, and she debated saying something to her mother later that night.

"That sounds like a lot of work; how many cattle are there?" Susannah managed to get control of her emotions, realizing she needed Audra in her corner. The blond woman noticed the bland expression was back on Susannah's face and she wondered if maybe she had imagined the other look. Audra reasoned that the girl had probably been shocked that Heath had done what he had, but she hoped it would make her realize that there wasn't a future for the relationship. Glad of the change of subject she answered Susannah's question about the cows.

The late summer moon was a silvery crescent in the sky, as Nick and Heath bedded down for the night. It had been over two weeks now, and Nick mentally calculated in his mind how much longer before they made it back to the ranch. The round up was going well, and they should be ready to start driving the cattle down in the next couple of days. He was ready to be done with sleeping outside; he wanted his own bed and Katarina.

The days were easy, because they were busy and he had too many other things to think about, to keep the round up on track. Heath was a big help of course, but Nick knew at the end of the day he had the final word on everything. It was a big effort to keep a group of tough cowboys working together, not letting any egos get in the way. The men all knew that Nick Barkley didn't put up with any nonsense, and it had been noticed that he expected even more of the men this year, than in past ones.

Now Nick and Heath were bedded down some distance away from the rest of the men, for privacy's sake. The nights were when they had the chance to compare notes with how the job was going, and any personal issues with the men. They had run through the day's activities, and discussed one of the cowhands, a young man who kept to himself. Most men respected another man's want of privacy, but there was something cold and harsh about the cowhand that bothered everyone else.

"It's a fine line we walk, between getting enough workers, and making sure they get along." Nick sighed, wishing he had followed his gut and not hired the young man. There had been an off look in the man's eyes that had bothered Nick, but Heath had overruled him, wanting to give him a chance. He looked at his fair haired brother now, wishing that the man didn't want to rescue every stray that came along.

That thought led to the matter of Susannah, and the conversation he'd had with Katarina the morning he left. Nick was still touched that Katarina cared about him and his relationship with Heath. He appreciated her insight on how lonely Heath was, and Nick wished his brother would find someone. It was hard to imagine Susannah being that person; he was sure, thinking she was too wrapped up in herself to think about Heath's happiness.

Heath for his part was trying to figure out the best approach to tell Nick that the hands were chafing under his all business approach to the round up. He had no problem understanding that his brother only wanted to get home to his wife. He saw how thoroughly Nick was absorbed with Catherine, and how much he loved her.

On one level he wasn't surprised by Nick's behavior, because the man never did anything by halves. Heath had also seen, with Susannah, that Nick had no problems laying down the law about Catherine. Crossing Nick's wife was even worse than crossing the man himself, and woe betide the person who did that. Heath was happy that his brother had the love he had always wanted; total and complete.

He did admire how Catherine seemed to know just what Nick needed, and put it down to Jarrod's explanation of the woman coming from a family of European land owners. His older brother had told him about blood being shed for centuries, to defend the family lands. Heath had not been to Europe yet, but Jarrod's stories of Prussian land owners who kept the battle souvenirs; both weapons and bones of their attempted invaders had stayed in his mind. He had no problem seeing Nick stringing up an invader in the front hall, while Catherine cheered him on.

The flip side for Heath was the feeling of isolation he felt from his brother since Catherine had arrived at the ranch. Heath had seen, even before Nick was sharing her bed, how the woman knew everything that occurred on the ranch. It had bothered him that his brother had taken Catherine into his confidence so quickly, and he suspected that she had the same outlook that Nick did.

His brother was fond of saying how 'this is a working ranch' and everything was geared to the bottom line. Catherine would understand that, and support Nick in his decisions about the property. Taking into account the fact that the woman was running the vineyard, and Heath felt like it was two against one. The whole matter of Susannah had only intensified the feeling, and now it seemed the gulf between him and his brother was huge.

"Nick, do you think that since things are going well we could give the men a 'down' day? We have been pushing pretty hard." Heath hoped that by phrasing it with the men's well being in mind that Nick would go along with his idea.

"Honestly, don't you think they would rather get back to Stockton sooner, rather than later?" Nick responded, not understanding why anyone would want to spend another day on the trail than necessary.

"I think they might appreciate a day to catch up with personal matters, and take a breather from the schedule. Even with the extra day on the trail, we will still be almost three days ahead of where we thought we would be." Heath replied, not wanting to add it was because Nick had been keeping to a tight, fast schedule.

Nick sighed, and understood what Heath was doing, and bowed to the decision. One day wasn't really a big issue, and if it kept the hands happy he would go along. He knew that Katarina would be there for him, when he did arrive home and he could suck up one extra day.

"You are probably right about the men needing the extra day; we can build it into the schedule for them." Nick assented to Heath's request, wanting to meet his brother halfway. Maybe this would be the opening for them to talk, he mused, as he poured himself some more coffee. He added a little whiskey to it from his flask, offering the silver container to his brother.

Heath saw the silver container, with Nick's initials and the brand of the Barkley ranch on it, and his gut churned for a moment. The silver flask was a rich man's item, and Heath knew that Tom Barkley had given it to Nick on his eighteenth birthday. Jarrod, the previous Christmas, had given Heath a similar one, but it sat in a dresser drawer in his room at the house. He knew that his older brother was only trying to make up for what their father hadn't done, but he hated accepting the offerings.

He had not really thought through what it would all mean, when he had demanded his share of what Tom Barkley had amassed. It was still hard to get used to the fact that he was a 'rich man' too, like his brothers. Heath could admit now that some of the attraction to Susannah was that she didn't see him that way. She also didn't want any part of the life the Barkley's had, making the relationship difficult. He had worked all of his life, and expected to continue doing so. Thinking about Susannah made him think about Lily, and how she saw him.

It had been easy to find out just how successful her aunt and uncle, as well as her parents were with their shops. Heath admired how the families had their sons off working as deck hands on a freighter, to understand the shipping industry. The families had enough money they could have sent the boys off on a tour, but chose a harder path instead. He also had seen that Lily was comfortable enough to work in the shop, and help out. In his mind it was the right balance of having enough in the bank to be secure, but still needing to work.

Thinking that made him see that he was being punitive with himself, for no other reason than false modesty. Heath decided to accept some of the whiskey Nick was offering, appreciating the gesture. He decided not to point out that his brother was going against his own rule, about no alcohol on the trail. The rules didn't always apply to Nick Barkley, and Heath knew his brother too well to point out the contradiction.

Instead, he decided to change the subject, to see if he could get the information he wanted. Heath brought up the subject of the party Nick was doing for Catherine, and asked some questions about it. Nick explained what a name day celebration was in Russia, and why it was important. Heath was impressed that Nick was asking both Bishop Krill and Bishop Williams, but wasn't sure about the caviar and herring that would be served.

"I think it is actually a Scandinavian kind of thing, with the different smoked fishes and vodkas, but the Russian's took the idea and added caviar, hard boiled eggs, and capers. I actually tried some in San Francisco and it is better than you would think. Or maybe the vodka makes it all work!" Nick explained, laughing slightly as he finished describing the food.

"Nick, are you inviting the Clark's to the party?" Heath decided to ask what he wanted to know, about Lily and her family. He figured that he could always bring her, and Heath was sure that Nick wouldn't have a problem with Lily.

"Marcus and Anne, of course! I've known them almost my whole life, and we do business with them. They were very close to father too; I think he probably knew them in St. Louis, before coming to the valley." Nick answered Heath's query, wondering why he was asking about the couple. He pictured them in his mind, and then smiled as he remembered their visitor.

"Their niece is included in the invitation of course. She is a very pretty girl." Nick put it out there, mentally hoping that Heath was asking for the reasons he thought he was.

"Yes, she is a pretty girl; very nice too." Heath observed, waiting to hear what his brother's reaction would be.

"So you have noticed the charms of the fair Lily, huh? She is very good natured, from what I understand. I guess she had a boyfriend in St. Louis, but it didn't work out according to the Clark's. They were actually engaged, but the young man called it off at the last minute, citing a change of heart." Nick offered, going on "My understanding is that the young man was rather flighty, and at the end of the day Lily and her family thought it was all for the best."

Heath nodded his head, that story tying in with what Lily had told him about the young man. He wondered how they had gotten together in the first place, but knew that matters of the heart took strange turns. He was even more excited now to get back to Stockton, to see her again. Heath wondered if he should say something to Susannah, but then thought it would be better just to stay away. She would get the message, he hoped, without him having to do a messy explanation and have her make him feel guilty, as she did so well.

"Well the party sounds like it will be fun! Good night Nick!" Heath turned over on the ground, closing his eyes. Life was pretty good he mused, as the gentle night breeze washed over him. Nick grunted his reply and turned over on his bedroll, trying to get comfortable. He was happy that Heath was interested in Lily, and was looking forward to telling Katarina the good news. That made him think of how much he missed her, and he sighed, glad it was only a week more until he was back home.


	42. Chapter 42

_**Author's Note: Because of the subject matter of this chapter I am doing two versions – an edited one for the BV message board, and a more explicate one presented here.**_

_**Welcome Home**_

It was late afternoon when Nick, Heath, the rest of the men, and the cattle arrived at the ranch. Nick turned his horse over to one of the stable hands, wanting to get inside the house quickly. He threw open the front door and came striding into the front hall, calling Katarina's name as he did so. There was no answer, and no one, not even Silas was around. Getting concerned he flew up the stairs and walked rapidly down the hall, to his and Katarina's room.

"Katarina!" Nick called loudly as he entered the room, shutting the door behind him. He heard his name being called from the bathroom, and walked over to the closed door, taking off his gun belt, gloves, and hat as he did so. Arriving at the door he called, and then turned the handle gently, slowly opening the door.

She was in the tub, her body covered by scented bubbles, her dark gold hair messily put up. Nick sighed with pleasure, deciding this was better than anything he had imagined while on the trail. The view improved even more when she sat up, surprised to see him. Her rosy tipped breasts were full and rounded, and he could hardly wait to hold the soft globes in his hands.

"Nicholas, you are home early!" Katarina declared, as he came over by the tub. She reached up to hug him, not caring about the dust and dirt that covered him. He hadn't shaved, and his cheeks were rough against her skin, as he kissed her hungrily.

"Sugar, it's not a problem is it?" Nick laughed happily, as he put his hands on the sides of her body. He then remembered how dirty he was, and pulled back some. She asked him about it, and when he tried to explain she giggled.

"Well then, why don't you take off your clothes and take a bath with me?" Katarina inquired, as her hands started to unbutton his shirt. Nick narrowed his hazel eyes, as he perused her wet body, lightly covered with the wonderfully scented bubbles. The fragrance was slightly floral, but there was also a minty touch to the scent.

"Darling, I like the way you think, but I don't know if the tub is big enough for both of us?" Nick let her take his vest off, and then she pulled his shirt out from the waist band of his pants, before she eased it over his shoulders. Her dark blue eyes were dancing, as if he had just said the funniest thing in the world.

"I think that if I get out of the tub, you get in, and then I will get back in, on top of you?" She stood all the way up, and his eyes took in her lush curves; he could almost swear that her breasts were bigger than he remembered them. She reached for the buckle and waistband of his pants, as she asked "Nicholas, will it bother you if I am on top?"

By now all he could manage was a groan, as he sat down on the tufted stool, to pull off his boots. His socks and pants were not far behind, and then he was standing there naked. Katarina looked boldly at him before she made her request. His body looked like it had lost several kilos since he'd been on the trail, but his manhood was as long and hard as she remembered it.

"Katarina, it's been almost three weeks since we've been together, and if you start that now, well I will lose it." Nick's voice had a rough edge to it, and she could tell from his glittering eyes how aroused he was. The man needed one thing, and sooner rather than later, she knew.

"Would you please get into the tub Nicholas?" She directed, as she stepped out and helped him into the deep bathtub. Once he was in she climbed in facing him, straddling his thighs while resting her hands on his shoulders. Katarina reached over and let her lips meet his, her tongue finding his as it explored. Nick put his hands on her body, and then moved them up to her breasts, enjoying their heavy fullness in his hands.

He was all set to say something about them when he felt Katarina position her femaleness against his painfully erect shaft. She moved against him so he was able to easily thrust into her, as she exclaimed happily at him entering her. Nick pushed deep and hard, needing to feel her with an almost blinding hunger. His wife responded with an animal abandon, pushing against him seeking her pleasure. He growled as she took her satisfaction, letting him get as deep as he needed, screaming his name, while he roared as he pumped into her.

"Now you can have a proper bath, since you are much more relaxed!" Katarina nestled against him for a bit, before she sat back and smiled at him. His body was warm and hard, while his eyes had a soft, pleased expression to them. His generous lips smiled happily at her, and she thought about how wonderful they felt against her skin.

"Sugar, all I have to say is that none of my fantasies came close to this!" Nick exclaimed, as he looked at her happily. She braced herself against the edge of the tub, as she climbed out, kissing him on his cheek as she did so.

"Why don't you stretch out Nicholas, while I get you a glass of whiskey, and you can tell me all about the round up." Katarina offered, as she toweled herself off, before she walked into the bedroom. Nick let the warm sudsy water cover his body as he felt a surge of contentment come over him. He closed his eyes for a minute and when he opened them again Katarina was sitting by the tub, with a tumbler of golden whiskey for him.

"Ekaterina Elizateva, you always know exactly how to please me!" Nick declared happily, as he took the proffered glass. The liquid was warm as he sipped it, letting it; along with the heat from the water soothe his tired muscles. The fast, almost animal intense lovemaking had taken the edge off of his need for her. He cleaned up and talked to her about the time on the trail, saving the best piece of news for last.

"As much as I like the whiskers, they are getting rather long; may I shave you?" Katarina purred in his ear, her lips grazing the sensitive ear lobe. He nodded his head, remembering how good it felt when she had done it before. Her hands were gentle but sure, and her fingers danced over the places the razor had just scraped.

"Mmm, you are very good!" Nick announced when she was doing, liking how smooth his face felt. He was recovered from their earlier lovemaking, and feeling much more comfortable now that he wasn't covered in trail grime. Life was good he thought, as he looked around their bathroom, liking how the large mirror reflected Katarina's body in it. She was just luscious, he decided, noticing how feminine and rounded her curves looked.

"Nicholas, you should know that I am very accomplished!" Katarina teased, as she stood up, giving him a total frontal view of her body.

"Wow, I think your body is even more incredible than the last time I saw it! You do of course know that I am going to want to make love to you again, right?" Nick inquired, and she tossed her head, causing several pieces of her curly hair to pull away from the top knot she had pulled it up in.

"I rather figured that, Nicholas! However, you said you had a piece of good news for me?" Katarina held out a towel for him, waiting for a response.

"Yes, I do! Very good news indeed! You, and me, will be spared the scared filly at our table!" Nick announced with pleasure, as he stood up from the tub. Katarina looked at him, her eyes getting wide as she pondered what he was saying.

"Really? Heath is done with her? How do you know?" Katarina questioned him rapidly, and he stepped out of the tub, letting her wrap the towel around him. He then put his arms around her, as he pulled her close.

"Heath was very concerned about whether I was going to be asking the Clark's to your party. It seems that he rather likes the fair Lily! That leads me to believe that Susannah is not in the running anymore." Nick's voice was low and deep in her ear, and she sighed happily. Then a thought came to her, and she drew back slightly, to look him in the face.

"Nicholas, Heath might be done with Susannah, but I'm not sure she is done with him. Audra was telling me." Katarina went on to tell him what his sister had said, after spending time with the girl at the orphanage.

"Sugar, trust me; Heath will be able to handle the situation with Susannah." Nick averred, and then he pulled Katarina close to him as he suggested "Why don't we go into our bedroom, and you let me make slow love to you in our comfortable bed?" She felt him pick her up, and carry her into the other room, where she surrendered to him completely.

Later in the evening, Victoria, Audra, and Heath were in the front parlor, having drinks before dinner. Heath was filling them in on the round up, while waiting for Nick and Catherine to come downstairs. It was almost 8:00pm when Silas came into the room.

"Miz Barkley, dinner is ready to be served." Silas announced with pride, knowing that Rachelle had prepared fried chicken with all the trimmings for Mr. Nick and Mr. Heath. They enjoyed a good home cooked meal after the campfire meals they ate on the trail.

"I don't want Rachelle's dinner to spoil, but Nick and Catherine aren't down yet." Victoria replied, wondering if the couple would in fact be down at all. She was sure that Nick was going to want private time with his wife, after having been gone for so long. Adding in the news that Catherine had for him, and the older woman decided that the family dinner would be low on her son's priorities.

"I rather imagine that Nick was very tired, and probably wants to sleep. Let's go ahead and eat Silas, but ask Rachelle to set some food aside for Nick and Catherine to have later." Victoria offered her arm to Heath, who took it gladly, taking care not to roll his eyes. He rather doubted that his brother was sleeping, thinking about how passionate and intense the couple was with each other. He was trying to imagine having that kind of energy after three weeks of the schedule Nick had had them on, and it was daunting to think of.

"I am rather hurt that Nick didn't even want to come down and say hello to us! We haven't seen him for ages, and when he does get home all he wants to do is sleep!" Audra pouted; feeling very put out that Nick was ignoring her. Victoria sighed, having put up with Audra feeling aggrieved ever since Nick had left. She knew the girl was at loose ends with Owen Winters up north on a business trip.

"Honestly, it is not like Catherine is going to be great company. She has some kind of stomach bug or something; she is always tired and feeling queasy! The last couple of weeks she has had milk with every meal, saying it soothes her stomach. I have tried to get her to go riding several times, but she isn't interested. I don't think she has sat on a horse for almost a month, and she takes the buggy out to the blending house." Audra announced, feeling bad for her sister-in-law, but also annoyed that Nick hadn't said hello to her after he returned.

Heath heard everything his sister was saying, and made it a point to stare at his fried chicken, while hiding a rueful smile. He knew exactly what all those symptoms added up to, and could only imagine how happy his brother was going to be. He also knew that Audra would be happy once she knew the whole story. However, it brought home to him that things were going to be changing at the house.

"Audra, it was a hard three weeks, and I think Nick just really wants a good night's rest on a comfortable mattress. He'll be at breakfast tomorrow morning ready to go!" Heath consoled his sister, privately thinking that she really needed to get out of the house and get married. He knew that she was seeing Owen Winters, and hoped that it would work out.

Victoria listened to Audra and Heath, and noticed the slight sadness in her younger son's eyes. She remembered that Heath was very well versed in all the facts of life, and had probably read between the lines of what Audra was saying. She had spent the three weeks that Nick was gone making sure that Catherine was comfortable, and well rested. Victoria had been pleased that the girl understood exactly what her body needed, and had let the older woman fuss over her.

It came to her that both of her younger children needed something she couldn't give them, and it pained her. However, she knew how the circle of life worked, and both needed to 'leave the nest' to achieve it. Heath's journey would be easier in some ways, because he knew what was involved, while Audra's would be harder, but would resolve its self much quicker.

The rest of the meal passed pleasantly, since Victoria talked about the upcoming party and Owen Winters. Nick and Catherine had spent some time with Nathan Winters and his wife on their recent trip to San Francisco, and the upshot had been Nick inviting them, and their son, to the party at the Barkley ranch. Audra and Owen had spent a fair amount of time together, and had discovered that they had a similar outlook on life, and a great deal in common.

They adjourned to the study after dinner, but Audra excused herself early to go upstairs, still feeling slightly peeved that Nick had not bothered to see her after being gone for so long. Victoria watched Heath drink some brandy, while smoking a cigarette and asking her about happenings in the valley. It was apparent though that Heath was very distracted, and she was pretty sure she knew why.

"Let's go for a walk in the garden, and enjoy the full moon. I am sure you know the name of this moon, right?" Victoria queried, as she went on "But different Indian tribes had different names for each moon. The plains Indians called it the green corn moon, while the great lakes Indians referred to it as the full sturgeon moon. It was when the large fish were easily caught it; it is also sometimes referred to as the red moon, because of the haze from the late setting sun leaves a red glow."

"It has always intrigued me at how, no matter how life changes, some things always remain the same." Heath observed, after they were outside, in the prettily laid out garden. When he had first arrived at the great house, the garden had annoyed him, because of how clipped and precise it was; rather like the Barkley's even had to show mother nature who was in charge. It had taken him a long time to admit that Leah would have loved a garden such as this.

"Heath, please talk to me! You are obviously aware of Catherine is with child, and I am picking up that it is bothering you." Victoria had seen the resignation in her younger son's eyes earlier, and wondered what was causing it.

"Mother, I am happy for Nick and Catherine, really! Nick is going to be over the moon, and I don't begrudge him his happiness." Heath stopped, working hard to formulate what was in his mind. "I have seen the handwriting on the wall, ever since Catherine arrived on the ranch. Nick has taken her into his complete confidence, and discusses all matters with her, before anyone else." Victoria looked at the young man standing next to her, and nodded her head, as she indicated for him to continue.

"There is a gulf between Nick and me that we can't seem to get completely past. It started with Hester, and when I thought we had resolved that it opened up again, because of Catherine. I know that Jarrod talked to Nick, because there for a while things were better between us." Heath paused, not wanting to admit the next part, but knew that his mother needed to hear it. "I was feeling lonely, because of Nick and Catherine, which led me to get involved with Susannah."

"Heath that is a normal reaction, considering how close you and your brother were. The bond is still there between you, but it is going to be different." Victoria hoped she would say the right thing, and she took a deep breath before she asked her question. "Are you serious about Susannah? I know that you are a man, and entitled to your own life. However, I feel the need to state my opinion about the young woman."

He looked at the silver haired woman who was so concerned about him, and smiled gently. "Actually, I am not interested in her anymore. I've met someone else that I have a lot more in common with." Heath told his mother, who breathed a sigh of relief at his statement. She decided not to pry, but would keep her fingers crossed for him.

"I guess my issue is with how Nick and I move forward, and how we do things on the ranch. It is unsettling to know that every conversation I have with him, he discusses with Catherine. They are very connected, and I know that she shares his view point on a number of matters." Heath put it out there, hoping that Victoria would be able to understand what he was saying.

"Heath, can I ask you a personal question?" Victoria inquired, and he nodded his head "Have you ever had a relationship like what Nick and Catherine have?" He heard a questioning note in her voice, not like she was going to reassure him of something. It was instead an actual request for a piece of information she wanted.

"Do you mean like a, what is the term, a soul mate? No, I've never had the experience before and I think it would be strange. I won't lie mother, I've been in love several times, but nothing like what Nick, and Catherine have." Heath knew he was an independent individual and while he wanted a wife and children, he didn't want someone who knew his every thought.

"Your father and I did not have that kind of relationship either, Heath. We loved each other, but respected our boundaries. He admired the fact that I was a strong woman, and I appreciated that I could speak my mind with him. Heath, I know we talked about it once, when you first came to live with us, but I have always wondered what kind of relationship he had with your mother. There must have been something there I couldn't give him, that she could." Victoria could admit it now, having worked through the pain and reconciled what had happened.

"My mother was a very strong woman, with a mind of her own; that much I do know." Heath had always wondered about his mother and Tom Barkley, but knew that his curiosity would never be completely assuaged. He saw that he and Victoria were rather alike, and it cheered him somehow, to know that someone else struggled with the same things that he did.

"Heath, I would like to think that when you are in a fulfilled, happy relationship it will help you relate to Nick again. He needs you to help him with the ranch, and he respects your opinions. It is good that you don't agree with him all the time, because he needs to look at matters from a different perspective. I know that he values your friendship, and loves you very much." Victoria consoled him, wanting Heath to understand what was happening with his and Nick's life right now.

He listened to what she was saying, and it made sense, so he hoped she was right. Heath also hoped he was right about Lily, because it would be nice to have someone in your corner. Looking back at his relationship with Susannah, how it started, and how he went along with her making him feel guilty he wondered what he had been thinking. He also understood why Nick had reacted like he had, knowing that his brother was just trying to protect him, and the family. Heath talked to Victoria a little more, and then said goodnight, ready to sleep in his own bed on a comfortable mattress.

It was around 11:00pm when Nick woke up and realized that he was in his own bed, but Katarina wasn't there. He sat up to look for her, and then saw her coming out of the bathroom. Nick admired her body in the moonlight that was coming in through the open windows. After they had finished the bath he had made love to her, and then fallen asleep while cuddling with her.

"You are so beautiful, Katarina! Please get back into bed, so I can ravish you again. I need to make up for lost time." Nick declared, noticing that she had stopped just short of the bed, and out of his reach.

"While I would enjoy you ravishing me Nicholas, I think we need to get something to eat. We didn't have dinner, and I am hungry!" Katarina announced, stepping back slightly as she reached for her robe, a frothy peach, and lace item. He watched her put it on, tossing her wavy dark gold hair as she did, and he sighed. Hearing his stomach growl made him decide that eating was probably a good idea.

After putting his robe on they headed down to the kitchen, where Nick started getting the food out of the icebox, while Katarina set the table with plates and silverware. Soon they were having fried chicken and biscuits, with glasses of milk. They ate the delicious food, while Nick told stories about the meals on the round up. It was when they were done, feeling happy and relaxed that Katarina looked over at her handsome husband.

"Do you remember Nicholas, that the first time you told me that you loved me was here in the kitchen?" She asked, as she took one of his hands and interlaced her fingers with his. His hazel eyes, the green flecks glowing regarded her intently.

"Yes, sugar I do remember! I had wanted to tell you for quite a while, and when I finally did was both scared and relieved at the same time!" Nick reminiscencened happily, and Katarina giggled at his comment.

"Nicholas, I think this is the perfect place to tell you something very important. You are going to be a father!" Katarina had been waiting for the moment, and as she watched him process what she had just said she knew that it was just right.

"Katarina, did you just say? Oh, wow! That is wonderful, and I now know why your breasts seemed bigger!" Nick threw his arms around her and pulled her close to him, while grinning from ear to ear. He asked her lots of questions, and she answered happily, as she snuggled against him. It felt so wonderful to have him hold her, and liked how he gently stroked her stomach.

"I can hardly wait until we feel the baby move." Nick announced, as his voice boomed around the kitchen. Katarina sighed, and put her fingers to his lips.

"Shh, everyone is asleep. You can tell Heath and Audra at breakfast tomorrow." She told him, and then added "Your mother already knows, Nicholas. She figured it out, and was concerned about me." Katarina had in fact been grateful for Victoria's support the last couple of weeks.

"Sugar, is everything all right? Are you having problems?" Nick's voice took on a panicky note, and she did her best to calm him.

"Nicholas, everything is fine, I've just had a lot of morning sickness, which is normal. Your mother said that some women are sick all day for the first couple of months. She has been so good to me, and made sure that I get lots of rest. When I can eat I am always very hungry, so I try to fill up then." Katarina explained to him, and she could tell that he calmed down.

"Well, I don't want you going to the blending house anymore! I'll find someone to take over." Nick stated, and Katarina gave him an annoyed look.

"Honestly, I'm pregnant, not infirm! I have been managing just fine, and don't want to give up the work. Nicholas, I enjoy it and I think it is good for both the baby and me not to just lie around. I take the buggy out, and I never overdo it; you can ask your mother about that. Please don't make me stop." Katarina pleaded, as she reached up to kiss his cheek.

Nick felt her snuggling against him, and sighed, not wanting her to get upset. "Darling, I just want to take good care of you and our baby. If it does get to be too much, you need to take a break from the work, ok? However, I still think you could use some help, and will let you hire someone if you want, ok?" He hoped the comprise would work, because he was going to worry all the time she wasn't safe at home.

"Thank you Nicholas, I appreciate that. Don't worry; I know that our child is my main responsibility." Katarina smiled, as she continued on "I am so excited at the thought of having your baby! You are going to be a wonderful father!" Nick grinned from ear to ear, and started kissing her wholeheartedly.

"Why don't we go back upstairs, so you can ravish me as you said you were going to?" Katarina questioned when he broke off the kiss, and Nick nodded happily.


	43. Chapter 43

_**Author's Note: The play 'HMS Pinafore' actually opened in London in 1878, and premiered in Boston later in the year. My story is set in 1877, so I am adjusting the dates that the play would have been produced. **_

_**BTW – I am posting two chapters back to back, to keep the story flowing. The original intent was to have just one chapter, but it turned out to be longer than I expected.**_

_**A Musical Evening – Part One**_

Nick and Heath had been home for three days now, returning life on the ranch back to normal. The news about Nick and Catherine had been greeted happily by everyone, leading Nick to throw an impromptu barbecue on the ranch, the day after they arrived back. It had been a fun occasion, with just the ranch people, and their families attending.

It was almost a week later when Heath finally had the chance to talk Nick, and clear the air. It came about because of an evening he and Lily shared with Nick and Catherine. Catherine had suggested going to the dinner theater, to see the new play 'HMS Pinafore'. She explained about the composer/writer team of Gilbert and Sullivan, and the concept of a comic opera. There was one song, about Englishmen, that she really wanted to hear. Catherine had also suggested that Heath bring to Lily, which had cheered him greatly.

Heath had no great interest in some opera about a British ship, but he was very interested in Lily. They had been out once since Heath had been back, and the evening had gone well. He decided that doing a double date with Nick and Catherine was a good thing. He remembered how Susannah had felt about the couple, and wondered how Lily would feel. It was good, Heath was sure, that Lily was already friends with Catherine, and had been around Nick before. Lily also knew about Gilbert and Sullivan, and thought anything about a ship would be interesting.

They had dinner first, which was quite good and the couples enjoyed greatly. Heath was pleased to see that Nick's booming voice didn't faze Lily in the least, or the way that he carried on with Catherine. Now that his wife was pregnant Nick was even more protective, and affectionate than he'd been before. Heath privately thought that not only was his brother's behavior excessive, but so was everyone's reaction to Catherine being pregnant.

The news had been greeted with great fanfare at the ranch, which soon spread into town. The event was treated like the announcement of a royal baby, and birth of an heir. Everyone acted like it was a rare occurrence that Catherine was pregnant. Heath didn't understand all the hoopla, because in his mind it was a normal event for a married couple to have a child. Considering how his brother and his wife carried on, he was sure that Nick would have a large family.

It was when they had finished their meal that he and Nick talked about the ranch. Smoking wasn't allowed in the main room, where everyone ate, and would see the show from. Nick excused himself to go have a cigar, and Heath joined him in the men's smoking lounge, which was rather crowded. They found a slightly secluded table, where a waiter brought them snifters of brandy. Nick lit his cigar, while Heath rolled a cigarette, and then lit it.

"Heath, not tonight, but we need to sit down in the next week or so and go over the plans for the ranch for the upcoming year. The waterway project will be starting soon, which will affect the cattle's watering holes. Also, with Catherine due at the end of April you will probably find yourself overseeing the operations at the outlying range." Nick told Heath, changing the subject from a political matter that they had been discussing.

While Nick finished his cigar, they spent ten more minutes talking about the ranch, which included his brother asking his advice about something from Heath's days of being in Texas. It involved construction of sheds for temporary shelter for the cattle. Nick wanted Heath to draw up plans to see if it would make sense to implement the idea on the Barkley's ranch.

"Listen, before we go join the ladies, I want to say something Heath." Nick paused, "I'm glad that we are talking now about the ranch, because I've been concerned about how distant you have been with me. I understand that you were probably upset about my comments about Susannah, but I was only thinking of our family." Nick had been wondering why Heath had been so reserved around him, and had been concerned that he had insulted his brother. It had been a relief to find out that Heath was interested in Lily, but Nick was still concerned that Heath could be holding a grudge about the comments regarding Susannah.

Heath reassured Nick that he had understood the matter, and that Susannah was not the person Heath had thought she was. His brother slapped him on the back and said that Lily was delightful, and he hoped that things would work out for them. As they walked back to the ladies, it came to Heath that his fears about Catherine and the ranch were unfounded. Nick did tell her everything, but only because he loved her, and needed her as a sounding board. Victoria had said that his brother valued his opinion, and Heath had seen that tonight. He also could admit that some of his earlier fears had more to do with him, than with Nick and Catherine.

It was as they arrived back at the table that he found something else out that made him happy. It occurred to him that Lily didn't know that he smoked, and he remembered how Susannah disapproved of smoking. Sitting down next to Lily now, he greeted her and waited to see if she said anything. Nick and Catherine had excused themselves to go talk to a couple that they knew, so he and Lily were alone.

"Did you enjoy your cigar?" She asked pleasantly, her eyes looking very green tonight. Her strawberry blonde hair was up, but with a few ringlets that looked like spun gold, were hanging over her shoulder. Her dress was pale green satin, with embroidery of pink and yellow flowers interwoven with dark green vines and leaves. The dress was ornamented with satin ribbon in the same dark green, which went with the ribbon holding her ringlets in place.

"Actually, I had a cigarette, which is what I prefer." Heath told her, noticing that she seemed very matter of fact about the issue.

"My brothers are like that too. Do you roll your own, or buy the premade ones?" Lily asked out of curiosity, and Heath was impressed that she knew about the difference.

"I prefer to roll my own, because I can adjust the tobacco amount. Plus, I think it is more economical." Heath explained, wondering what she would think of him being concerned about the cost.

"My older brother would agree with you, but Stephen buys the ones in the tins. He says they stay dry, so that is what most of the guys at the Naval Academy, and the navy officers, smoke." Lily observed, thinking of how much Heath reminded her of her older brother.

"I could see how that would be an issue, and the premade ones are convenient. There is something relaxing about rolling you own though." Heath commented, and then added "It sounds like you are not one of those women who disapprove of smoking, and would lecture me about it." He had seen women who put on a good front in public, but in their own homes they would nag their husbands incessantly.

Lily laughed before she replied "Hardly, why would I lecture you about something like that? My dad smokes cigars; my mother says that men enjoy it." She decided to confess something, to see what his reaction would be. "I have to admit that my brothers let me try their cigarettes." Heath looked at her with interest, while wondering what he would do if Audra came to him with that request.

"What did you think of it?" Heath asked, while thinking that he would probably let Audra try one. Knowing his sister, he was surprised that she hadn't approached him about it.

"It took me a bit to get the technique down, but then it was all right I guess. It felt weird, and my mom said it wasn't ladylike, so I never pursued it." Lily giggled, "I did tell my mom that I'd seen ladies, at the docks, smoking before, which is when she explained to me why they really weren't ladies. It was quite funny really." She had known about those kinds of women, but thought it interesting to see how her mother explained it.

Heath laughed at her comment, relieved to see that she wasn't narrow and prudish about life. He guessed that if you lived, and worked, on the riverfront, you saw a great deal of life. He asked her about that, and she said that living in major river port town, the world came to you. Lily was telling him a story about some Dutch sailors when Nick and Catherine came back. They all laughed at the story, and then the play started.

When he took her home he kissed her goodnight for the first time, and Heath took it as a good sign when she kissed him back deeply, while holding him tight. It had been a long time since a woman had made him feel what Lily was making him feel. Heath went home very happy, realizing that he was falling in love.

He would have been very unhappy if he'd known that Susannah had been hiding in the bushes next to the Clark's house. She had not meant to end up spying on the couple, but things had worked out in her favor; or so she thought. Susannah had not been at church the previous Sunday, because her father was not feeling well. She did know, from talking to Audra, that Heath was back from the round up. It upset her that he had not come to see her at all, and she wondered if he was seeing the girl with the reddish hair, Lily Clark.

Earlier that evening she had arrived at the Elkin's house, for her bible study group. Susannah was late getting there, because her father had needed her to pick up something in town for him. She had just stepped into the screened porch, all set to knock on the door, when she saw Heath Barkley. He was pulling up in front of the house that was across and over one from the Elkin's. She noticed the two passenger buggy, with the fringed roof covering, and some gold lettering on its side.

Susannah crouched in the corner of the porch, hoping the shrubbery outside the porch hid her from view. She watched as Heath went into the house, and then came out minutes later with Lily. He helped her into the buggy, and Susannah's heart contracted as Heath laughed at something the girl had said. After they had left, she collected herself, and went over to the Elkin's door and knocked on it.

The bible study group met in the front room, which had a direct view to the street out front. Because of the warm weather, the windows were open, so Susannah positioned herself to keep the Clark's house in view. Susannah knew that she was getting nothing out of the bible study, but didn't care about that. The letters of St. Paul, usually one of her favorite parts of the bible, held no interest for her. Instead, all she could think about was Heath, the reddish haired girl, and what they were doing.

When the evening was over with, she said goodbye to everyone, and started to walk away as if heading to her house. It was dark by then, so it was easy to double back and hide in the bushes by the girl's house. Susannah knew, from her earlier observations that the couple had not come home yet. The bushes at the neighboring house were overgrown, offering her perfect cover. She discovered by standing slightly at a diagonal, she had a perfect line of site to the front porch. Hoping that the couple wouldn't be too late, she settled down to wait.

Her patience was rewarded half an hour later, when the buggy drove up with the couple in it. Susannah watched intently as Heath helped Lily out of the buggy, and held her hand while walking up to the front doorstep. If she thought her heart had constricted badly earlier, watching Heath with Lily, she now wondered if her heart was going to stop. Heath put his arms around Lily and started kissing her, while she responded to him in a way that Susannah regarded as indecent. Even as she thought that the pain in her chest felt like it was going to split her in two.

However, it faded, but as Susannah watched the couple kiss a wave of hate and anger filled her up. She was almost shaking as she watched Heath say goodnight to Lily, and then watched as she went inside the house. After Heath had driven away Susannah stayed in the bushes for almost another ten minutes, trying to decide what to do and where to go. She started walking in the opposite direction wanting to get away from the street as fast as possible.

Going home wasn't an option yet, she felt too upset, but being in the park alone at night was not a good idea either. It was when she saw the steeple of the church, almost beckoningly to her, that she decided where to go. She crossed over two streets, and then rapidly walked up the stairs to enter the church. It was cool and perfectly silent inside, the only lighting coming from a bit of moonlight entering through the windows.


	44. Chapter 44

_**Author's Notes: The inspiration (not the personality) for the OC in this chapter came from one of the reviewers of the story, Nina. One of the things I like about doing this writing is the comments and reviews that people give me. They help me as a writer to make sure I am doing right by the characters, as well as add depth to the story. Nina and I were emailing about Susannah, and her upbringing, when Nina offered her suggestion. Thank you Nina for your input!**_

_**The hymn mentioned here is a real one, and a beautiful one. It is well known in the Lutheran churches, as well as High Anglican ones. There is some uncertainty about the lyrics, but Johann Sebastian Bach is credited with being the composer of the melody associated with the hymn.**_

_**A Musical Evening – Part Two**_

Susannah stumbled into the sanctuary, and managed to stay upright long enough to get to a pew, where she sat down. She looked at the altar, with the cross positioned above it, and it came to her that she had nowhere to go, or no one to go to. That thought was the final straw, and she buried her face in her hands, as anguished sobs racked her body.

She wasn't sure how long she'd been crying for when she started to hear strains of organ music filling the church. It was faint at first, but as it wafted down from the choir loft it became louder. It took Susannah several minutes to recognize the hymn, because she was so entranced at the sounds the organ was making. In all the services she had attended, at this church, or any other, she had never heard an organ played with such skill before.

The hymn was 'Lord Jesus Christ Be Present Now' which was based on a piece of music by Bach. It was a hymn Susannah had always liked, because it spoke of the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit in one's life. She had never paid attention to the music before, but now she heard the majesty of the chords in the piece. The music surrounded her, and took her mind off of her anger and sorrow. Finally she turned around to look up at the choir loft, to see who was playing the instrument.

Susannah discovered that she was at the wrong angle to see from where she was sitting, so she decided to go investigate. Having spent the evening spying, she figured that this transgression was water over the bridge. She walked rapidly to the back of the church, and then turned left, to the stairs that led to the loft. Trying to be as quiet as possible she climbed the stairs and entered the loft, where she saw a man with her back to her, sitting at the organ.

The music was even more intense up here, as the organ produced sounds like it never had before. Susannah discerned that the man playing the instrument loved music with a reverence that was palatable. She lost herself in the inspiring piece, and didn't realize the music had stopped at first. It was only when the man's voice penetrated her consciousness did she become aware of it.

"It looks like you are not crying anymore; did the music help?" A deep voice asked, and Susannah looked closely at the organist. He was a young man with brown hair, pale blue eyes, fair complexion, and a slightly receding chin. She heard him ask the question again, which caused her to figure out that he had seen her downstairs.

Indignation filled her voice as she asked "Have you been spying on me?" Susannah stood up very straight as she interrogated him. The man drew slightly back, while tilting his head.

"You make it sound like I was lurking in the bushes!" He stated with an almost amused tone, and when Susannah heard what he said her hand flew to her mouth. Her eyes widened as she remembered what she had been doing before she came to the church.

"Why you little sneak! Have you been following me? I didn't mean to spy on them, it just happened!" She blurted out; shocked that he knew about it. She also didn't catch the irony of calling him a sneak; really the man was impudent.

His laugh filled the choir loft, as his eyes slightly twinkled before he responded "Just so you know, 'lurking in the bushes' is normally a phrase people use in conversation. I've never met anyone who has confessed to doing it before." The man regarded her for a minute, and then added "I have to say that you don't look the type at all."

By now Susannah was aghast at how the conversation was going, and what he was implying. She watched as he shifted slightly on the bench, crossing his legs as he did so. It came to her that he was a tall man, based on how long his legs were. She noticed that he was dressed in grey wool pants, a white shirt, and the type of black shoes men from back east wore, not the boots more popular out here. While she was trying to process if she had met him before, he interrupted her thoughts.

"Are you going to tell me the whole story, or do I get to guess? I rather think I know, so let's see if I'm right. There is some young man, who you like, but he doesn't like you, or he likes someone else, and you were trying to figure out who the other girl is?" The man took a deep breath, going on "Will you tell me if I'm right? The whole lurking in the bush thing has me very intrigued."

"Just who are you? And how impertinent of you to be speculating about my private affairs!" Susannah was affronted at how casually this man was acting with her. She became annoyed when he burst out laughing at what she had just said.

"I think you need to remember that I wasn't the one lurking in the bushes, and the church is a public place." The young man retorted, continuing on "My name is Edison Caldecott Kelling. Reverend Edison Caldecott Kelling; my friends call me Ed." He gave his name in a polite, well bred voice, and for the first time she heard the trace of a New England accent. Susannah was all set to comment on it, when something that he had said caught her attention.

"Reverend? What do you mean Reverend? You're not old enough to be a minister!" She appraised him in a scolding voice, which led to him laughing again. Honestly, she thought, the man was badly behaved, especially in the Lord's house.

"I graduated two years ago from Yale Divinity School." Edison informed her in a rather bored voice, as if he'd heard what she had said before. Susannah looked at him closer, still trying to figure out if it could be true.

"My father went to Harvard!" She intoned, thinking it a rather weak response but she had nothing else to offer. The whole conversation was like none she'd ever had before, and later she would realize that she had never once felt any of the shyness that usually plagued her.

"Excellent school. I am from Massachusetts myself, Lexington in fact, which is not far from Boston. I looked at Harvard's program, but thought Yale offered more depth, as well as a better music department. In case you didn't know, I love music and the classic German composers." Reverend Kelling replied, then looked closely at her "But enough about me! It will be more interesting to hear about who you were spying on, and why. The story reminds of the novels my sisters read; by the way, I have four so I know a fair amount about female matters."

Susannah heaved a deep breath, noticing that nothing seemed to bother the young Reverend. He was acting like it was normal to have conversations in dark choir lofts with ladies he didn't know. "My mother didn't let me read novels; she thought they ruined a girl's pure thoughts!" Once again she thought it was a poor response, bringing home to her that the man continually managed to rattle her.

"My sisters read novels all the time, and none of them have ever ended up lurking in bushes to see what their beaux are up to." He offered his thoughts with a smile and twinkling eyes, as he tilted his head expectantly. Susannah suddenly felt ridiculous, as she thought about the evening.

"He wasn't my beaux; well not quite. We had gone out a few times, and I thought I could be a good influence on him." She stumbled out the words, as she thought about her behavior, and her feelings for Heath.

"First off, never get into a relationship with a man to change him; no good ever comes of that. Either you end up frustrated, and the man resents you, or if he does knuckle under you lose all respect for him. If a wife doesn't respect her husband there will be do happiness or peace in the house." Edison explained patiently, and Susannah wondered if he was married because of how knowledgeable he sounded. She asked him, and he shook his head with a sad smile.

"No, I am unattached. However, I spent the last year as the assistant pastor in a factory town in Pennsylvania. I saw a great deal of life, and counseled quite a few couples. Plus, as I said, having four sisters gives you insight into certain matters." The man told her, as he regarded her with kindness. Susannah found his kindness harder to take than anything else, and before she knew it she was crying again.

Somehow she found herself sitting on the bench next to him, as he put his arms around her and let cry. When she was done, it seemed natural to tell him the whole story, including her mother's death. Having him hold her was so wonderful, and felt so right, as she buried her face in his shirt. He held her and stroked her hair while she talked, as the moonlight came through the window.

"Now you know my story, and how God has turned his back on me!" Susannah announced, as she sat up. It was hard to pull away from him, but it had come to her how unseemly her behavior was. She had never acted like she was now, and it was both scary and exhilarating. It was odd how she wanted to scold the young man just as badly as she wanted to be back in his arms.

"Susannah, I don't think God has turned his back on you at all; rather I think he has given you a great gift." Edison replied, and as she looked at him with a puzzled frown he went on to explain "God knows everything that we don't, and he knows what we do, and don't need. Please remember I Corinthians 13:12; you strike me as a rather religious young woman so I am sure you know the verse. Lutheran?"

She was entranced to talk to a young man who knew the bible, and seemed so comfortable with God. Her relationship with the Lord had always been a punitive one, and the thought that the mighty being could be a comfort was strange to her. It was nice to discuss religion with a man who knew the differences of protestant theology.

"Methodist, actually. My grandfather was a Methodist minister, and I grew up in New Hampshire." Susannah explained, wondering what the man would make of her story.

"A rather hard version of the protestant faith, in my opinion. Tell me, does your religion bring you joy?" The man asked, with an almost innocence, like he really cared what she would say. The note in his voice took her back, and it came to her that she had never thought about God and joy together. Somehow the two seemed mismatched and she didn't know what to make of it.

"I have never thought about God and joy at the same time." Susannah confessed, feeling a pain worse than what she had felt while watching Heath and Lily. She tried to think about the idea of joy, and she felt sad when she realized she couldn't even imagine what the emotion felt like. She told Edison that, before she buried her face in her hands again.

"I think you are very hard on yourself, Susannah. You moved out to a strange place, and taught school to children you had nothing in common with. Your father took up the same job he'd had before, teaching privileged young men the classics, while your mother was angry at your father's decision to move out here. I imagine he loved the challenge, while she resented him for taking her out of her comfort zone. You have been caught in the middle, and borne up very well with it all."

"Well no one ever takes me into account, so it doesn't matter does it?" Susannah turned away from the young man, feeling once again that his understanding and kindness was worse than anger and disdain.

"Susannah, you are a grown woman, and of course your feelings and opinions matter. I think you are incredibly kind, and very patient. If you weren't so cowed by your mother, who was terminally angry at your father, you would see life so differently!" Edison observed, and she was all set to take offense at how he portrayed her mother. Then she thought about what the man was saying, as well as what Heath had told her. It surprised her that everyone else saw her so much more clearly than she saw herself, and her life.

Admitting to that was very hard, and she started to cry again. He put his arms back around her, and held her again, until she was done. "I have never cried so much in my life." Susannah confessed, moving back slightly, but letting him keep his arms around her.

"Well you are certainly different than most women, especially my third sister; she cries all the time. If she's happy, sad, mad, it doesn't matter the tears start to fall." The Reverend informed her, and then "Now that we have you crying, maybe you can learn to laugh also. God gave us laughter so we can share his joy with the world."

His comment made her wonder what it would be like to see God, and the world, as a happy, peaceful place. Susannah started to see how he would be a good minister, and she was puzzled at what he was doing in Stockton. When she asked the answer wasn't what she wanted to hear.

"I guess you weren't at church last Sunday? I'm sure I would have remembered you." Edison queried, and she told him about her father. He nodded his head, before he announced "I'm the new associate pastor for the church here. I'll also be doing some traveling and ministry to the surrounding area."

When she heard that, her heart sank as she realized that she would have to face this young man every Sunday! The same man who knew the whole sordid, sorry story of what she had done. Susannah turned away from him, and started to jump up, but he tightened his arms around her. She realized that she was trapped, and turned back to face him.

"Where are you going? I don't think you should be walking the streets alone at night, so if you want to leave now, I will insist on escorting you." The Reverend stated in a surprisingly forceful voice, which caused her heart to flutter in her chest.

"You don't understand, Reverend Kelling! I can never face you in the light of day!" Susannah felt hot shame flush her face, and she was glad it was dark, so the young man couldn't see it.

"Would you please call me Edison? Or Ed? After all we know about each other, it seems rather unnecessary to be formal all of a sudden." He paused, "Why wouldn't you be able to face me in daylight? I thought we were friends; actually you are my first friend in Stockton." His comment made her think about her friends, and if she really had any at all.

"How can you be my friend, after everything I've told you? And if I see you on Sunday, will you do a sermon using me as a bad example?" Susannah's words tumbled out, as she thought of other scenarios in her mind. She wondered if she could stop going to church, but that would cause even more suspicion. Burying her face in her hands she almost wailed "My life is over!"

Edison looked at the young woman, and patted her shoulder gently as he shook his head. "I would think that your life was just starting! Susannah, I don't think you're going to be mooning over that young man anymore, so think of all the things you can do. My grandmother used to say that God never closed a door without opening a window."

Another thought came to the young man "Why would I not want to be your friend? I rather admire your courage, misplaced though it was, to spy on the man. So far, you are the most interesting, and the prettiest person I've met in town. Oh, and just so you know it is against the clergyman's code of conduct to betray a parishioner's confidence. Don't you also find it comforting to get it off your chest, and know that I am not shocked?"

Susannah thought about his comments, and saw that he did have a point. He had seen her at her worst, and he was still talking to her. Even more, he wanted to be friends and he thought that she was pretty, in spite of the tears and the old black dress. She looked around the choir loft, and realized how dark it was. What if he saw her in daylight, and didn't think she was pretty anymore, she mused.

"I guess I can see what you are saying, Rev –uh, Edison. But how do you know what I look like, it is dark up here?" Susannah sniffled a bit, as she went to dry her eyes on her sleeve. He handed her his handkerchief, as he chuckled.

"Now you are starting to sound like a woman, fishing for compliments!" He declared with a merry note in his voice, as she started to protest, but he stilled her with his hand "It is not completely dark, the moon light is strong enough to see." Edison stood up, and removed his arms from around her, but took her hand as he said "Would you like me to walk you home now? And maybe tomorrow I could stop by and meet your Father? I am sure a Harvard man would want to meet his daughter's friends, even if they went to Yale." That made her giggle, and she saw Edison smile happily at her.

She let him lead her down the stairs and out of the church into the empty street. Susannah told him where she lived, and he escorted her home. Edison kissed her hand as he said goodnight, and she had to fight the temptation to reach over and kiss him. It really had been the most incredible night, she thought, as she went to bed with a happy smile on her face, the first one she'd had in a very long time.


	45. Chapter 45

_**Author's Note: Audra has been rather neglected in this story, and I thought she deserved something for being a good sport about it. **_

_**St. Catherine's Day – Part One**_

Audra sat at her dressing table, admiring the ring and wishing she could wear it. The oval diamond was large and sparkled, set off by smaller diamonds and sapphires that surrounded it. Owen had arrived at the ranch early that morning, and then after lunch had taken her out for a ride. It was at one of her favorite places on the ranch that he had proposed, much to her happiness.

They agreed to wait until after the party though, to announce their engagement. Audra knew that Nick wouldn't want anything to distract from Catherine, while Owen said he still had to ask permission from Jarrod. She knew that her brothers would be happy, because they liked Owen a lot. At the back of her mind she was already planning the wedding, and hoping that Catherine would let her borrow her wedding dress.

She was startled now to hear a soft knock on her door, and rising up went over to answer it. She had a blue dressing gown, trimmed with lace, which buttoned up the front. Audra had finished her bath, and had been getting ready to brush her pale blonde hair, which was loose down her back. When she opened the door she was surprised to see Owen standing there, in his pants, a shirt unbuttoned at the top, and no tie.

"May I come in? Is your maid here?" Owen asked smiling as his brown eyes took in how beautiful she was. Audra was taken aback that he was here, at her door, and she stepped back without realizing it.

"What do you want? I don't have a maid" She stammered, trying not to be aware of how tall and well muscled he was. His brown hair was neatly combed, and his skin smooth with a slight tan to it. She had always admired how handsome he was, and knew they made a fine looking couple.

"Audra, I am surprised at that! You always look so nice." Owen told her, as he shut the door behind her, asking "Will you be getting yourself ready for tonight?" Audra noticed that he was very comfortable in talking to her about female matters.

"For everyday I just dress myself, but on special occasions Rosa, one of the housemaids will help me with my hair. However, Nina, Catherine's maid said she would do my hair for me. She always puts it up so beautifully!" Audra declared, having been pleased when her sister-in-law had made the offer.

"I have to say that I do like your hair down; it is so soft and shining." Owen reached over and took a piece, gently wrapping it around his finger. Audra looked at him with bewilderment as he did so. "Of course I know that for parties the style is to wear it up. After we are married we will be doing a great deal of entertaining, as well as going out. You might want to think about getting a lady's maid of your own, to help you." Owen offered, as he continued to play with her hair.

The thought of her own lady's maid distracted Audra from Owen, what he was doing, and where he was doing it. "I would like that!" She replied happily, and then she looked at the young man standing very close to her. "Owen, what are you doing here? What if my brothers knew? Or my mother?" Audra wasn't sure which would be worse.

"I wanted us to have some time together alone, which is very hard to do. I am surprised that Nick or Heath didn't accompany us on our ride. Luckily, your brothers were distracted by the party, so I was able to get you alone." Owen explained, going on "Your brothers like me, so it shouldn't be a problem."

"My brothers might like you, but if they find you in my room, with me in my robe, well, trust me they don't like you that much!" Audra informed him, stepping back some. He laughed and put his arms around her as he pulled her close to him.

"Well, look at it this way; if they did find me here it would just mean our wedding would take place very soon. However, I rather think you are a girl who is going to want a large, lavish affair, so." Owen stopped and reached over to lock the door, "So let's make sure they don't disturb us." He then reached his lips to hers and started kissing her, his tongue gently entering her mouth.

Audra melted against him, as she put her arms around his waist and responded to his kiss. It was several minutes that the world stood still, as his one of his hands stroked the back of her head. Owen moved his lips from her mouth to her jaw, and then over to her ear. He placed gentle butterfly kisses in back of her lobe, before starting on her neck.

"Oh, oh, Owen." She sighed, as feelings she had never had before coursed through her body. They had kissed several times, but nothing like this. Before she could say anything else he was kissing her mouth again, his tongue curling with hers in a sensual dance. It went on for several minutes, and when he finally did stop, stepping back as he did so, she wasn't sure if she was relieved or sorry.

He looked at her with love, and then went over and sat down in the arm chair, angling it to her dressing table as he did so. "I love you very much, and would never do anything to comprise you, Audra. However, we have lots to talk about, and I thought it would be more relaxing here." She noticed how at home he was making himself, as he adjusted the chair.

In fact, Owen was very comfortable in a woman's bedroom, having spent lots of time there, because of his previous choice of partners. He had seen that women were much more relaxed in the intimate environment, especially when they didn't have to wear a tight corset. Owen also knew that women liked the chance to talk, and many of his conquests were because he was willing to spend time with a woman's mind before her body.

He understood that Audra was different though, which made him very happy. He had spent too much time with women who would lie easily, while she was someone who wasn't capable of that. Owen also knew that she would take a vow very seriously, which also made her different from the other women he had been with. For all of his exploits, he was a very honorable man who prided himself on never forcing a woman to do what she didn't want to. The fact that he didn't respect them afterwards was something they had not comprehended, or cared about in some cases.

"I guess we have some time before, what is her name, Nina, comes to do your hair?" Owen inquired in a casual tone, as he regarded her with interest. Audra felt rather silly standing there gaping at him, so she decided to go sit back at her dressing table. The thought of Nina coming to find Owen in her room caused alarm, and she told him that.

"She won't say a thing, because it would be impolite. How much time do you think we have?" Owen responded, knowing all about ladies maids.

"I think she was going to get Catherine ready first, so probably half an hour, maybe even three-quarters." Audra replied, thinking about how cozy it was to spend time with him, without her brothers popping up every five minutes. The thought of her brothers made her sit up straight, and when he asked her about it, she explained the cause.

"Audra, I can take care of your brothers, if it comes down to it. Jarrod respects me because of my engineering degree from the United States Military Academy. Heath knows that I have fought in combat, and once I tell Nick that I have the army marksmanship medal he won't be a problem either. There is also the fact that my father and I are providing the interim financing for the waterway project." Owen laid out his case succinctly, and it came to her that he was a man who could stand up to her brothers with no problem. The thought made her very happy, liking how he was willing to protect her and take care of her.

"Quite frankly, I don't want a long engagement Audra. How do you feel about getting married at the beginning of December? I love all the decorations, and then we can take a wedding trip back east. What would you think of Christmas in New York? The city is magical at that time." Owen suggested, and Audra thought about what he was saying.

"I would love to go to New York, Owen! But do you think we could really get married that quickly? I do want a large wedding, as does my mother; probably your mother too." Audra sighed, wishing it was so easy.

"Please, between our mothers they will get it done. Just between you and me, I've seen weddings spiral out of control when the planning goes on for too long." He advised her with a knowing smile. Another thought came to him "You will need to come to San Francisco before the wedding, because we need somewhere to live. When we return from our honeymoon, I want to move into our house, not my parents!" Owen declared in a firm tone.

Audra smiled happily, glad that he was as considerate as he was. His parents were nice, but she really didn't relish beginning married life living with people she didn't know. That had always been something she had wondered about with Catherine, if she minded not having her own house. It had taken her several months to understand why her sister-in-law didn't come down to breakfast, until she figured out that Catherine liked the private time.

"There are some lovely townhomes, brand new, on Telegraph Hill. I actually bought one, more on speculation than anything else, so we could consider that. Did you know that your brother Jarrod also bought a house in the area? It is several streets over from mine, but if it bothers you, or you don't like the house I have, we can look somewhere else." Owen suggested, and Audra nodded her head.

"I would like to see your house, as I rather like the idea of somewhere new and modern. It won't bother me to have Jarrod close." Audra stopped and giggled, as she observed "I rather think that Jarrod won't be alone in his house for long." Owen knew what she meant, and laughed in agreement. He asked her about what she liked in a house, and what she didn't. Audra admitted that she didn't cook that well, and was relieved when Owen told her that he had assumed they would hire a cook, along with other staff.

They were so busy chatting away happily that they lost track of time. Audra liked how Owen was very interested in what she liked and didn't, and also made it a point to learn some things about him too. It was when they heard the knock on the door that they realized how long they had been talking.

"Well that is my cue to say goodbye for now, even as much as I would like to watch you get ready. I will just have to wait until after we are married." Owen stood up and walked over to her, adding "Of course, I will get to undress you then too, which will be very enjoyable for both of us." The look in his eyes started her heart racing, as her breath started coming fast. He reached down and kissed her on her lips, letting his tongue taste her mouth.

Owen pulled back and started walking to the door, winking at her as he did so. He opened the door and saw a woman, who he guessed was Nina standing there. "Hello, I think Miss Audra is expecting you. Nina, right?" He asked pleasantly, as if it was natural for him to be there. Nina recognized him as Mr. Winters, who she knew all about. The woman narrowed her eyes as she regarded him suspiciously.

"Yes, it is Nina, Mr. Winters." She replied coolly, not being taken in by his fine smile and good manners. She watched as he said goodbye to Miss Audra, slightly bowed to her and then left the room. Nina went over to where the young woman was, while casting a quick eye at the bed. She was relieved to see that the bedding had not been mussed in anyway.

"Are you all right, Miss Audra?" Nina asked, noticing that the woman only had a dressing gown on. She queried "Mr. Winters wasn't bothering you, was he?" She was concerned about what the man had been doing in the room. Mr. Winters was usually careful to confine his activities to married ladies, she knew.

"It is fine Nina. Mr. Winters just wanted to talk to me, without my brothers looking over our shoulders. He was a perfect gentleman." Audra reassured Nina, slightly disappointed that Owen had been as well behaved as he had. There had been something about the way he looked at her, as he talked about undressing her, that had excited her greatly.

Nina smiled at Audra, believing her, and reached for the brush on the table in front of them. She was distracted by the ring that was lying in the middle, the diamond very brilliant. Her eyes widened, not having seen it before. Audra saw her looking at it, and held it up for Nina to examine.

"Yes, we are engaged but we aren't going to announce it until after the party. We don't want to steal Catherine's evening, and Mr. Winters has to talk to my brothers too." Audra announced happily, and Nina gave her a big smile, and her good wishes. She was glad the young woman was getting married, because it was past time that she should have been out of the house.

"I think Mr. Winters will make you a fine husband, and I am sure that he will deal with your brothers' just fine." Nina replied, thinking about the man in question. She had always felt bad for the girl, having three very protective brothers, and a mother who had odd notions about young ladies. Her Highness had discussed the matter several times with her, being worried about her sister-in-law's future. Highness had even mentioned having Miss Audra go to England, to meet more eligible bachelors. The maid could hardly wait to tell Highness that everything had worked out just fine.


	46. Chapter 46

_**St. Catherine's Day – Part Two**_

Susannah and Edison were driving up the road to the Barkley ranch, joining the procession of carriages that were making the same trip. They were all going to the party that was being given for Catherine Barkley. No one was really sure what a 'Name Day' was, but had no problems understanding why Nick would want to throw his wife a party. Susannah looked over at Edison, admiring how nice he looked in his evening clothes. She had been impressed when he'd shown up in them, and was glad that Reverend Thompson's wife, Maria had helped her with a dress.

Edison had shown up at her house at tea time, the day following their talk in the choir loft. He formally introduced himself; not letting on that he had met her before, with the exception of a quick wink he had given her when her father's back was turned. Since then they had gone out twice, both times being very different experiences than what she'd been expecting. Edison was able to see joy and happiness in so many things, and took the time to explain it all to her.

She also liked the fact that he didn't smoke or drink, but saw that he was not critical of those who did. His outlook was that he could only modify his own behavior, not everyone else's. Susannah thought it was a good creed to live by, and told him that she was going to follow his example. She had decided that she was tired of being miserable and judgmental all the time.

He had come over to dinner one night, and had been grateful for what he called a proper New England meal. Edison was very complimentary of her cooking skills, and was knowledgeable about her father's interests too. He was always well behaved with her, kissing her hand good night at the end of their evenings. Susannah had not been in his arms since the choir loft, and she was wondering if it would happen again.

Looking away from his evening clothes, she looked at the dress she was wearing. When he had asked her to accompany him to the party she had demurred at first, because the Barkley's were involved. There was also the issue that she was still in mourning, and had nothing to wear. Edison told her that he understood, but wished she would reconsider her answer.

It was talking to Maria Thompson that made her decide to go to the party. The pastor's wife pointed out the same thing that Heath had, regarding mourning out west. The older woman also remarked at how hard it would be for Edison to have to go the party by himself, and since Susannah was his friend she should really go. Maria had in fact seen the couple together, and couldn't believe the changes in the girl, so she was playing matchmaker.

That still left the issue of the dress, since all the dressmakers were booked up with previous orders. However, Maria had a dress that she'd ordered for her daughter, who had not liked it. It was a pale violet silk, decorated with intricate pleats of the same material, and silk violets at the neckline, which were also scattered over the skirt.

Susannah, under Maria's guidance redid the sleeves, and adjusted the neckline, to turn it into an evening dress. The dress was not only the prettiest thing she'd ever owned, but she liked the fact it was a 'mourning' color. Some habits were too ingrained to be given up so easily, so Susannah felt like the dress was a good compromise. When Edison had seen her in it had told her that she was beautiful, which amazed her.

However, when they pulled up to the white pillared portico, Susannah lost her nerve. Edison helped her out of the carriage, and then let one of the ranch hands take it away. He stood there, looking distinguished in his evening clothes, but all she could see was the last time she had been at the house, with her mother. She gave a low squeal, and almost ran over to the side of the house, where a pretty garden was laid out.

Susannah stood in the middle of the flowers, almost hyperventilating, which is where Edison found her. He walked up to her, and taking her arm led her over to a bench under a tree with large, dark green leaves. They sat down, as he took both of her hands in his, looking at her with concern.

"Edison, I can't go in there! Facing Heath, and Nick, no I can't. Then there is Catherine." Susannah stammered, and he looked at her knowingly. By now he knew the whole story, including the 4th of July dinner.

"You can't change the past, only the future, Susannah." Edison squeezed her hands as he said, not liking how pale she looked. He inquired "Are you really that scared of what they might say? They have always struck me as very kind people." It puzzled him, because this seemed to more than just the awkwardness of facing an old beau.

"I still remember how Nick Barkley looked at me, and how loud his voice is. I jumped every time he said something. Plus, I was very unfair in how I responded to Catherine, about the cooking." Susannah tried to explain, remembering the talk she'd had with Edison. He had pointed out that a titled lady like Catherine probably didn't know anything about cooking, but had seen that Susannah did.

"Ok, I will give you that Nick Barkley is loud! There is a pulpit somewhere that is missing out; he would have made a great preacher. No one would sleep through his sermons." Edison laughed slightly, wishing he had some of that loudness.

One of his divinity professors had told him that until he learned to project his voice, he wouldn't be an effective preacher. Edison had replied that God's whispers were as effective as his shouts, but the professor had countered that God wasn't preaching to a congregation on Sunday morning. He told her that story now, which took her mind off of her troubles. What he did next though took her by surprise, before it made her smile.

Edison put his arms around her and drew her close to him before he declared "Susannah, you are my date and I will protect you if necessary, from anyone. I care about you too much to have you hurt." When he finished his statement, he reached over with his lips and kissed her. It was gentle at first, but when he felt her arms go around his waist he deepened the kiss.

Susannah felt like fireworks were exploding inside her, and she pressed closer to him. The kiss went on for several minutes, and when he pulled back she had a hard time focusing on him. "I was wondering when you were going to hold me again." She managed to say, regarding him with bemusement.

"Actually, I've wanted to kiss you goodnight ever since that first night, but didn't want to seem too forward. I also didn't want you to think I was taking advantage of you." Edison replied, liking how the green flecks in her eyes shone against the brown. To think, he thought, he had not wanted to come to California. "Shall we go inside? I would hate for you to waste that pretty dress." He stood up, and offered his arm, which she took gladly.

"Yes, let's go inside Edison. I care about you too." Susannah confessed, looking up at him like a knight in shining armor.

Inside the house Nick and Katarina were standing in the hall, by the staircase, greeting people as they came in. She had on a dress of cream colored satin, trimmed with ruffles of gold shot silk, and lace interwoven with gold thread. The color complimented her dark gold hair that was put up, with pearls woven through it, which echoed the pearl choker around her slim white neck.

Nick was reminded of the first time he had seen her, all those months ago at the Governor's palace in New Archangel. Katarina had taken his breath and thoughts away then, just like she still did. One difference though was the earrings she was wearing. They were diamond bows which pearl drops hung from, and they had been his gift to her for her name day.

Katarina didn't know it, but Nick had also purchased the matching necklace, that he was saving for Christmas. He thought about the last party they had, for his birthday, and how he had wished that she would really be his wife. This was the first time a birthday wish had come true for him, which made him put his arm around her waist, as she nestled closer to him. Nick had chosen the bow design for the jewelry, because of all the bows she wore, and that it reminded him that she had been his present.

"Sugar, I love you so much." Nick told her, pulling her close to him. There had been no new arrivals for the last couple of minutes, and he was all set to say they should go mingle when he saw Silas opening the door again. His eyes widened and Katarina felt him stiffen up. She turned to see what he was looking at, and suddenly knew why his reaction was what it was.

"Nicholas, please don't make a scene." Katarina reached up and whispered in his ear, hoping the action would divert him. He looked at her, and nodded his head.

"Fine, I won't make a scene; she isn't with Heath. I will say that she doesn't look so scared and pale." Nick observed, as he watched the couple make their way across the hall. Katarina saw that the light purple gown complimented Susannah's coloring, but it was very clear why the girl looked as good as she did.

"It's because she is happy, Nicholas. Heath wasn't the one for her, but he saw the potential there. Reverend Kelling is so much more her cup of tea." Katarina replied, as she turned to greet the couple. They exchanged greetings, and Edison made it a point to squeeze Susannah's arm every time Nick's voice boomed out. Katarina saw someone out of the corner of her eye and called the person over.

"Charles Burns, may I present Miss Susannah Alderson and the Reverend Edison Kelling." Katarina paused to let the young man smile at the couple, before she looked at them "Charles and his mother are visiting us from San Francisco. He has finished up at his boarding school in New England, and will be leaving in a while to study at the music academy in Paris." She inclined her head to Edison "Reverend Kelling spent a year in Germany studying theology and music." Charles showed great interest in that statement, and soon he was walking into the front parlor with the couple.

Jarrod who had been coming from the study saw the young man talking very animatedly with a young couple and was relieved to see the boy doing well. Charles was the fourteen year old son of Samantha, and had turned up in San Francisco two weeks ago. She had been pleased to see her son, but not so pleased when he announced the reason why he was there. He had decided that since his long range goal was to study music in Europe anyway, why was he wasting his time at boarding school, which he hated.

Samantha and Charles had been to Europe two years earlier, and she had always kept in touch with her mother's family. He had contacted the family in Paris, several of whom were musicians, and laid out what he wanted to do. They had helped him gain acceptance to the academy, and he would be leaving in the fall.

Samantha had always known he wanted to study abroad, but had figured it would be after he graduated from school. She and Jarrod were very close by now, and she had appealed to him for help, to get the boy back to New England. In his role as Pappy, Jarrod had dealt with Nick as a teenager, along with several other young men also. He told Samantha to have the boy come to his office, and he would get everything straightened out.

He was unprepared for the young man that turned up, looking older than fourteen in a well cut suit. Jarrod took him out to lunch at the Mining Exchange club, and discovered that the boy knew a great deal about him, because of Uncle Peter. Jarrod had already had a nice letter from his old friend, thanking him for helping Samantha and glad that things had worked out with them. Over lunch it was clear that Charles had a close relationship with the man, which made him wonder what Peter's thoughts were on the boy's plan.

The question was answered after they finished eating; Charles' manners had been impeccable and he had been very well behaved. When the dining room steward offered brandy at the table, the young man took a glass. Jarrod knew that men brought their teenage, and college age sons, to the club. It was the policy that the young men were served if they were with an older member. The lawyer had to concede that Charles did look older than fourteen, and the boy did seem to know the ritual. He decided though that he wasn't going to offer the boy a cigar, even as Charles had looked interested when Jarrod pulled out his smoking implements.

Charles laid out his case, and why he wanted to do what he was doing. Jarrod had to admit that the boy had thought it out well, and seemed to have realistic expectations. Pappy had seen young men get into trouble because they had no idea of what they wanted to do with their lives, and thought it spoke well of him that he a plan for his life. Charles added that he had spoken to Uncle Peter, who finally agreed to go along with idea, if Samantha was fine with it.

By now Jarrod was sure that Charles was going to get himself to Paris with, or without, his mother's blessing. The lawyer told the young man that he saw his point, and would speak to his mother about the decision. Jarrod took Samantha out to dinner, explained everything Charles had said, and included his comment about young men with no idea of what they wanted to do with their lives. He finished up by saying that Charles should come with them when they went out to Stockton.

Samantha said that she was willing to trust Jarrod's judgment, and would give Charles her blessing. She wasn't sure about bringing him to the ranch, thinking it would be awkward for Jarrod's family to meet her and her teenage stepson. Jarrod though overruled her, and she had been pleased to see how warmly his family welcomed both of them.

The young man had a good seat on a horse, and was happy to spend the day with Nick and Heath. Charles also had a good eye for pretty women, and was entranced by both Catherine and Audra. Nick however made it very clear to 'bonjour boy' as he called Charles, that Catherine had other things to do besides practice French conversation. The young man had then taken to following Audra around, until Owen Winters had shown up. Since then Charles had been at loose ends, so Jarrod was now glad to see that he had someone to talk to.

Later that evening, Victoria was surveying the party thinking about everything that had happened since the last party they'd had, for her middle son's birthday. Nick and Catherine of course were in love, which was obvious to everyone. She looked at Jarrod and Samantha with pleasure, glad that he had found someone to love again. Victoria had seen Samantha perform in the past, and had been very happy to meet her in person. She was impressed with the woman, and saw how she was perfect for Jarrod, understanding what his interests were.

Heath, with Lily Clark also made her smile as she thought about the conversation she'd had the night when he and Nick had arrived back from the cattle drive. He had mentioned that he was interested in someone else, and Victoria had been thrilled to learn that it was Lily. She knew the young woman was very good natured and easy going, something that Heath, with his tendency to brood and moods, really needed.

Victoria saw her daughter with Owen Winters, and wondered if the young man had proposed yet. When he had arrived at the ranch that morning, he had taken Victoria aside and asked for her blessing. He had said that he knew that he had to officially talk to Jarrod, but that his mother had always told him that it was important to have the girl's mother on your side. Victoria had touched that the man was concerned about her feelings, and she saw that he would be very good to Audra. It was also apparent that he and her daughter had very deep feelings for each other.

"Well Victoria, the last time I stood here with you was when you were hyperventilating about the thought of Catherine being Nick's wife. I told you to get to know her, because she wasn't going anywhere, and I was right." Bishop Hamilton Williams came up to his old friend, and laughed heartily as he retold the story.

"Yes, Ham you did and you were right. You also told me that Catherine was going to give me quite a few grandchildren too." Victoria offered, thinking about how the idea had bothered her at the time, but now she embraced it happily.

"Tom would have told you not to argue with a clergyman, Victoria." The Bishop replied, as he looked around at her other children. "I am getting the feeling that you are not only going to have a christening in your future, but several weddings too. I guess I need to clear my calendar." Ham added cheerfully, pleased at how things had turned out. Victoria agreed with him, hoping that Tom was looking down with pleasure at their family.


	47. Chapter 47

_**Christmas, 1877**_

Katarina, now five months pregnant sat on the low chair showing off the diamond and pearl necklace Nicholas had given her. It was comprised of a diamond bows in a circle, with a pearl drop hanging from each bow. The necklace matched the earrings that Nicholas had given her for her name day, and she had squealed with pleasure when she it. Victoria, Jarrod, and Samantha all admired it greatly.

"It's probably a good thing that Audra isn't here to see this, or Owen would be out shopping." Jarrod declared, and everyone laughed.

"When do they get back from their honeymoon?" Nicholas asked, as he caressed his wife's shoulder with his hand. Audra and Owen had married in a huge ceremony at the beginning of December, in the church in Stockton. Normally the Christmas decorations were not put up until closer to Christmas day, but Owen had wanted them up for the wedding. The party afterwards was like nothing the valley had seen before. Audra felt bad about missing Christmas on the ranch, but had promised gifts for everyone from New York.

"They should be back after the new year." Victoria replied, before she looked over at Jarrod and Samantha "Are you looking forward to your proper honeymoon?" The couple had married in October, which had not been Jarrod's original plan. He had decided to propose over Christmas, and then have the wedding in May, after the birth of Nick and Catherine's baby. A trip to Europe was going to be the honeymoon, which would include the chance to see Charles.

It was Charles though who had caused the change in plans for the wedding, with the trip still planned for May. Jarrod, once he had made up his mind to propose took Charles out to lunch to get his blessing. They went to the San Francisco club this time, which overlooked the bay, and over brandy he told Charles what he was planning.

The young man, wearing another well cut suit, had taken a sip of his brandy, and helped himself to one of Jarrod's cigars which he lit expertly. Charles then explained that he was leaving for Paris in November, and would not be back for at least year. He wanted to both attend the wedding, and give his mother away; could Jarrod expedite his plans?

Jarrod had looked at the self-possessed young man, calmly smoking the cigar and privately thought that if a musical career didn't work out for Charles, there was always politics. The lawyer acquiesced to what his future step-son wanted, and had proposed to Samantha the next day. He took her to the beautiful glass greenhouse at the botanic gardens, the site of their first date, for the proposal. She answered yes, and then cried happily.

At that point Jarrod was all set to go book the large Episcopal Church, but Samantha put the brakes on that idea. She pointed out that she was a widow, and it would be unseemly for her to get married in a large celebration. That threw Jarrod for a loop, because he knew it would be hard to curtail the guest list with everyone who would want to come. He was now looking at a run for office in two to three years time, and he needed all the goodwill he could get.

Luckily, Owen's parents came to their rescue. Marjorie Winters had married off Owen's sisters previously, enjoying every minute of the preparation. She was thrilled that her son was finally settling down, and loved Audra dearly. However, as the mother of the groom she really didn't have a lot to do with the planning. She talked to Jarrod and Samantha, and explained that it was very appropriate for a widow to be remarried in a private home, and hers was available.

The fact that the private home was the largest in the city; that the hostess would fill it with every flower in the bay area, and that the wedding breakfast would be a sit down affair for almost two hundred guests wasn't really mentioned. Samantha wore a pale pink dress, and Charles walked her down the stairs into the huge front parlor, where Jarrod and Bishop Hamilton Williams waited. The couple did a short trip to Monterey, and then moved into their new house on Telegraph Hill when they returned. Piers and Elyse had the house already for the couple when they returned, and Jarrod finally had the domestic bliss he had wanted.

"Actually, we've had a change in plans and won't be doing the trip for a while." Jarrod looked at Samantha, who was sitting next to him on the love seat and they exchanged knowing smiles. "We are going to be welcoming a new family member in July." He announced proudly, and Victoria hugged Samantha as Catherine clapped her hands while Nick slapped Jarrod on the back.

"Well I think it is going to be a busy 1878!" Victoria beamed with delight, as she thought about what was waiting for her in the coming months. Another thought came to her and she stated "Wait until Heath comes home to hear the news." He had gone with the Clark's, and Lily, back to St. Louis for Christmas, to meet the girl's parents. Heath was missed, but they all adored Lily and understood that he would want to meet her parents.

"I would like to propose a toast, to the best Christmas, and for many more in the future!" Nick raised his glass, and everyone joined in the toast.

_**April 28, 1878**_

"Damn it all, it's been almost six hours!" Nick Barkley's voice was filled with anguish. Jarrod, Heath, and Owen all looked at him with sympathy as he paced the room. Audra and Lily, sitting together on the couch looked concerned, while Samantha, sitting the chair next to them calmly worked on a needlepoint project.

"I guess I don't dare mention that it took almost twenty hours of labor with Charles?" She told the two women Soto voice, and they looked at her with awe. Jarrod's wife had given birth before, and was now six months pregnant. Both women paid her comment particular interest; Audra was three months pregnant, having just told everyone a week ago. Lily Clark Barkley was just a little over a month along, but she and her husband wanted to wait a month or two before announcing.

Heath had arrived back from St. Louis the second week in January, engaged to Lily, and with her parents in tow. Lily, after the affair of her first wedding had no interest in being married in St. Louis. Heath for his part, after standing through Jarrod and Audra's weddings was very clear that he did not want a big, religious event. The couple wanted to get married at the Barkley's house, in a simple ceremony, and within two weeks, before Lily's parents went back to St. Louis.

The drawback in the plan was that Reverend Thompson had left on his annual sabbatical, leaving Reverend Kelling in charge. By now Edison and Susannah were engaged, and while Heath liked the man, and was glad that Susannah was happy, he felt rather awkward having the fiancé of his ex-girl friend perform the wedding.

Luckily for the couple Edison understood and offered a solution to the problem. His grandparents would be arriving in several days, and his grandfather was a retired army chaplain. The man was still authorized as a minister, and had been looking forward to helping his grandson out anyway. Heath and Lily met the older man, and liked him a lot, especially Heath. The man had attended to the needs of both sides during the civil war and could relate to what Heath's feelings about the horror of the conflict.

Lily had walked down the big staircase, wearing her mother's dress, and into the front parlor. The hall and front room had been decorated with white flowers and candles, giving a romantic feeling to the house. She followed the southern custom of being married in the evening, as was common in St. Louis. The vows took place in front of the marble fireplace, with just their family and close friends in attendance. Afterwards there was a buffet supper, followed by dancing and much merriment.

The couple went to the cabin for their honeymoon, even though his brothers had tried to point out how cold it was going to be. Heath's answer to that was along the lines of 'all the better', to which Jarrod and Nick laughed heartily. When they returned the couple started putting plans together for the house they would build, which should be ready by the end of the year. In the meantime they were staying at the main house.

Heath was looking at his brother now, pacing the floor in the study consumed with worry. The young man had been around babies being born, and knew they always came at their own pace. He didn't say that to his middle brother though, and wondered if he would be like Nick when Lily's time came. Heath looked over at his wife, and shared a secret smile with her.

Jarrod for his part leaned against the desk, and lit a cigar, while also watching Nick. He was aware that in three months he was going to be exactly where Nick was. The thought was unsettling, and he went over to pour himself some brandy. He offered the decanter around, and the men all took some, while the women declined.

Nick had barely managed two sips of his, before he put it down with an expression of distaste. His stomach was so tight he didn't think anything could get in there. He was very comfortable with livestock births, and had assumed he wouldn't be nervous. However, from the moment Katarina felt the first pain, right after lunch, he had been a nervous wreck. He had been all set to be there, to hold her hand, but his mother had shooed him out of the room.

Nick had been the protective mother hen during the pregnancy that Victoria had thought he would be. She declared she didn't need him fussing about everything in his loud voice. Heath had taken his arm and led him into the study, where Nick promptly lit a cigar and started his pacing. Jarrod and Samantha had arrived that day from San Francisco, so were glad they had timed everything right. Audra and Owen had been visiting anyway, having just returned from a trip to Los Angeles. Heath was glad that they were all there for the extra support, and help in dealing with Nick.

"Nick, Nick?" Everyone jumped as Victoria walked into the study, calling her middle son's name. She had a smile on her fact, and Nick walked over to her in two huge steps and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Katarina; is Katarina all right?" He asked a worried tone in his voice, which caused Heath to shake his head. The young man had never seen Nick in a state like this, and it was very bothersome.

"She is doing fine. Nick, you have a son, congratulations! You can go upstairs if you would like." His mother announced, and Nick let out a loud exclamation, as everyone slapped him on the back on congratulated him. He wasn't listening though, being too concerned about getting upstairs. Not looking where he was going, he ran smack into the pool table, and almost ended up sprawled on it.

After he recovered and left the room, the ladies all crowded around Victoria asking for the details. Jarrod, Heath, and Owen all stood a little off to the side, by the drinks tray. Owen lit a cigar, and looked thoughtfully at the pool table.

"Jarrod, you do realize that that will be us in several months?" He inquired, taking a draw on his cigar.

"Owen, I don't see myself splayed across a pool table, no matter what!" Jarrod declared forcibly, privately thanking his lucky stars that he was nothing like Nick. Heath shook his head, with a small smile, picturing his oh so rational brother on the pool table. It caused him to burst out laughing, which then had Owen and Jarrod chuckling too, while the ladies cast them odd glances.

Nick had raced up the stairs two at a time, and ran down the hall to their room. He threw the door open and strode inside, saying Katarina's name loudly. He then stopped as she looked up at him, while holding a small wrapped bundle in her arms. Nick suddenly couldn't move, feeling like his feet were stuck to the ground. He stared open mouthed; as it came to him that she was holding their child.

"Nicholas, would you like to come meet your son?" Katarina asked softly, and he managed to get his feet unstuck. Slowly walking over to the bed, he sat down next to her and kissed her carefully.

"A son, wow! You are all right? How is he? It took so long!" Nick's words came out fast, but soft, and Katarina took one of her hands and put it on his arm.

"Everything is fine. Actually it wasn't that long; most births take quite a while." She looked at him with love, before she looked down at the baby again. It was incredible that she and Nicholas had produced the wondrous bundle.

"Sugar, I love you so much! Thank you! You are incredible!" Nick solemnly told her, as he watched Katarina hold the child. "Are you still ok with the names? Thomas Alexander Barkley?" They had discussed both a boy's and a girl's name for the baby. Nick had wanted to honor is father, but didn't want his son to be known as Tom Junior. Katarina had suggested his Thomas for the first name, and Alexander for the middle name, after her father. Nick liked that idea, and even though they had played around with other names, that is the one they came back to.

"Thomas Alexander Barkley, mmm." Katarina smiled as she said "His initials will be T, A, B." Nick pondered that, and then an idea came to him.

"You know, T, A, B, that spells Tab – we could call him that, so we don't have the Tom issue." Nick offered in a pleased voice, and Katarina giggled at his delight.

"Tab Barkley, you know I like it! Now, would you like to hold your son?" She passed the wrapped bundle to Nicholas, who took it gingerly.

"Am I doing it right?" He hesitated, suddenly feeling very scared, and then Nick proclaimed "Oh, look he smiled at me!"

Katarina giggled again and replied "Why wouldn't he smile at you? You're his father!"


	48. Chapter 48

_**Author Note: This is the last chapter for 'The Land Grant', and I hope you all enjoyed it. I really don't have a sequel planned, but do have some ideas for short 'spin off' stories with the characters. Thank you to everyone who read, and reviewed the story.**_

_**Epilogue**_

Tab Barkley, the nineteen year old son of Nick and Catherine Barkley looked around the dining room as the large extended family gathered together. He was the spitting image of his father, who he looked at, sitting at the head of the table. Everyone though said he had his mother's personality, which was probably for the best. However, he loved the ranch as much as his father did, and worked happily alongside him. Tab looked at the other end of the table, where his beautiful mother was sitting.

He knew that she had been a very grand Russian princess before her marriage, and that his father had married her for an old Spanish land grant. That land was now the main causeway for the river that provided the valley's rich abundance. The story of how the wild young rancher and the aristocratic princess fell in love was retold again and again. Tab had no problems seeing why his father had fallen in love with her, and he knew that the man was still passionately in love with her.

The previous summer, when they were up at the cabin, which had been enlarged to accommodate the ever growing family, Tab found out just how his parents felt about each other. It had been after lunch, and all the kids had scattered, to do various outdoor activities. Tab though had not been feeling well, so he excused himself from swimming and went back to the cabin, to lie down.

When he entered the cabin he went through the front room, to the back of the cabin. The bedrooms were back there, with his parent's on one side, and the children's on the other side. Tab had been all set to turn down the hall when he heard an unusual sound coming from the hall where his parent's room was. Without thinking he walked down to their door, wondering if his mother was all right. As he stood there, he heard several more sounds, including his father's voice, and what sounded like his mother moaning.

His father had talked to him several years ago, about men and women, and while Tab had not been with a woman yet, he masturbated and did a lot of fantasying. It came to him exactly what those sounds meant, and he flushed a bright red, as he backed silently down the hall and left the cabin. Tab almost ran into the woods, trying not to think about what he had just heard. He ran into his cousin, Jarrod Jr. who was three months younger than he was, and staying with them, along with his sisters, while his parents were in Canada. His face must have had a weird look on it, because his cousin asked with concern what was going on.

Before he realized it, he had told Jarrod Jr. what he had just heard, back at the cabin. To his surprise, his cousin had just laughed and said that his parents were just as bad. For Tab, thinking about Uncle Jarrod and Aunt Samantha that way, was almost as embarrassing as thinking about his parents. He had known about relations between men and women, but had never thought of his parents in that regard. It didn't help when his cousin told him to stop being such a sissy.

Jarrod Jr. then went on to tell Tab all kinds of things that men and women did together. Tab was shocked at all that his cousin knew, and asked how he had learned it. His cousin explained that his older half-brother, Charles, had explained everything to him last year, when he had been visiting the family in Washington D.C. Tab knew that Charles was a famous opera star, who travelled all over the world performing. From what Jarrod Jr. had said, it sounded like Charles was as busy in the bedroom as he was on stage. That night he had watched his parents at dinner, and noticed that his father looked even more pleased than usual, while his mother looked very contented.

Tab now noticed that his parents had that same look that he'd seen last summer, and he guessed they must have been together before dinner. He put that thought out of his mind, and looked over at his seventeen year old brother Michael Sergey who the party was being held for. He had been named for his mother's favorite cousin, and her uncle, who had been the last Governor-General of Russian Alaska.

The boys had seen the pictures of the two men, in their elaborate Russian dress uniforms, on the desk in their parent's sitting room. Tab had always thought the outfits were ridiculous, while Michael had been entranced with them. Around the time he was seven he had received a set of toy soldiers for his birthday, which became his favorite toy. At ten Michael had announced that he was going to be an army officer when he grew up, and everyone believed him.

That was now the purpose of the family being gathered together, to say good bye to Michael before he left for the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was very proud that he had been accepted on his own merits, and not because his Uncle Jarrod was the senior senator from California. Tab looked at Michael and knew that he was going to miss him, but understood that this was what his brother wanted.

Aunt Audra and Uncle Owen were sitting across the table, with their son Nathan. Uncle Owen had graduated from West Point, and his son was already enrolled there. Michael would be going back east with them, to help get settled before the term started. Nathan also had two younger sisters and two little brothers, but they were back in San Francisco with their grandparents.

Tab's fourteen year old twin sisters, Sophie and May were upset that their cousins had not been able to come, but thrilled at being able to participate in the adult dinner. Sophia Tatiana and Mary Tatiana had been named for their mother's favorite cousin, and her mother, as well as a great-aunt. The girls had their mother's looks, and everyone told Nick Barkley that he was going to have his hands full. The man just laughed and said that he could handle any young bucks.

The twins had not been pleased when their sixteen year old cousin Leah had arrived, with Uncle Heath and Aunt Lily. Leah was their only child, and a total tomboy who drove her girly cousins crazy. She took pride in being able to rope and ride as well as any cowboy, while Tab, Michael, and Jarrod Jr. all agreed that they would not want to meet her in a dark alley.

Tab's eleven year old brother, James Sutherland Barkley had also been allowed to stay up for the party, but everyone was keeping a close eye on the boy. He was the only child who had not been born on the ranch, because the family had been traveling when he was born. They had been in England, visiting the great English duke who Catherine's grandfather. The boy had been named in his honor, and it was Tab who had christened the baby Duke, and the nickname stuck. Duke had their mother's coloring, but as it turned out his father's personality and temper. Uncle Jarrod had announced on more than one occasion that Nick was finding out what everyone had gone through with him.

Their two youngest siblings, Victoria Elizabeth aged eight, and William Louis, aged five were upstairs in the nursery. Victoria had been named for her grandmother, who had passed away the year before she was born. The family had been very close to the old lady, and Tab knew that his mother had taken her death very hard. When the little girl arrived on the one year anniversary of the matriarch's death, Catherine insisted that the girl be named after the great lady.

The only people missing from the party were Uncle Jarrod and his family. However, congress was in session so they were at their house in Washington D.C. Jarrod Jr. was a freshman at Harvard, while his two younger sisters, Rose, and Claire, were busy with their governess. The plan was for Owen, Audra, Nathan, and Michael to go to Washington first, to spend some time with the family, before heading up to New York.

Tab became aware that his father was making a toast, talking about how he had first met his wife, and everything that had happened since then. As he listened to his father talk about the last twenty years, he thought about wonderful they had been, and he was sure that the next twenty would be grand too. He then saw his father walk down to where his mother was sitting, and pull her into a passionate kiss. It didn't surprise him when nine months later he had another little sister, Sarah Frances.

_**The End**_


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